The president of the National Unity Platform – NUP, Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobiwine revealed how he had been detained in Dubai with his phone and passport confiscated upon arrival.
The 40 year old Musician was in Dubai on saturday for a charity concert whose proceeds would be used to to assist some of the Ugandan immigrant workers who are working in the middle East. However, upon arrival he says he was questioned about NUP, its leaders, their phone numbers, his family members and their contacts before his phone and passport were returned.
Until its unclears as to why the former presidential candidate was arrested and no formal communicaton has been done to address his arrest.
“Landed in Dubai at 8:30pm. It’s now 5am. I’ve been held & interrogated for 8hrs. They asked me about NUP, its leaders, their phone numbers, my family members & their contacts! I have all necessary travel docs. They’ve confiscated my passport & my phone. Am literary under arrest,” Mr Kyagulanyi tweeted at around 4:9am.
An hour later, he added “In Dubai to perform at a charity concert to assist some of the Ugandan immigrant workers. Been held at the airport for almost 10 hours, being interrogated mostly about NUP! My phone and passport have now been returned. Hopefully things go as planned. Will give an update.”
Mr. Kyagulanyi chose to do a charity concert in dubai amid growing complaints from Ugandan citizens working in middle East about mistreatment at their places of work.
The musician later revealed how he’s been released and hopes te charity concert will be allowed to go on as he had planned.
According to a report published by the daily monitor in April this year, at least an average of 24,086 Ugandans leave Uganda annually in search of employment, especially to the Middle East.
In the last six years, the report indicates, Saudi Arabia has been the destination of choice for many Ugandans searching for employment with the country taking a total of 126,873, which represents at least 75.2 percent of total migrant workers in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is followed by United Arab Emirates, which in the last six years has taken in 19,671 workers followed by Qatar with an intake of 8,089.
