Police detectives at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) are investigating complaints by Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao that four members of a comedy group, known as Bizonto, are threatening to kill him.
Mao has filed a formal complaint with the CID against what he called the “hate-mongering NUP/KY (National Unity Platform/Kabaka Yekka) choir known as Bizonto comedy”.
He added that the comedy group made death threats through a skit posted on YouTube recently.
“They used all sorts of innuendo to sully my character and ended by threatening to kill me,” the 54-year-old DP man said.
The CID spokesperson, Charles Twiine, confirmed that Mao had filed a formal complaint against Bizonto.
“Yes, he has reported a case and like any other Ugandan, he wants justice. We are going to establish whether the acts allegedly done by the Bizonto reveal any form of crime because sometimes some of the complaints may not reveal any crime committed,” said Twiine.
He added that police had to establish whether Bizonto are the persons who actually threatened the vocal politician.
“The moment we establish that yes they are the ones and their actions were criminal in nature then we shall inevitably commence investigations,” Twiine said.
He went on to condemn anyone inciting violence on social media, adding that those who do so must be handled to the full extent of the law.
“If we don’t take action against the perpetrators, it may eventually incite the public to cause genocide, for example,” he said.
The Bizonto skit, which has gone viral on social media, features a man whom Bizonto refer to as ‘Owa kakooti from Mau Mau rebellion’ who, the group claims, was given money to destroy the Opposition in Uganda.
This man, the comedy group states, is a problem which must be removed in order to ensure that he stops attempting to disorganise politicians in the opposition.
This man, the skit goes on to say, hates all persons of the Baganda tribe.
“We know that you talk and abuse a lot and that you mince no words, but dare not hit back at us because we will knock your teeth out,” the comedians charge.
In recent weeks, Mao has been in the news threatening to expose politicians of the opposition as hypocrites and this has kicked up a storm.
Mao is a two-time presidential candidate, losing twice. Over the years, Mao has presided over a fractured party with many members refusing to see him as the legitimate party president.
In August 2020, eleven Members of Parliament who previously subscribed to the Democratic Party (DP) announced their departure to join the National Unity Platform (NUP), led by then Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
Mao is known for his oratory, which has often stung his political opponents into a fit of rage.
In 2019, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) demanded that he apologise to Dr. Kizza Besigye for the attacks he made during DP’s Block agreement signing event which led to a memorandum of understanding with DP along with Peoples Democratic Party (PD) of Dr Abed Bwanika and Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Mike Mabike to prepare for 2021 general elections.
