By MONITOR

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Police in central Gomba District have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly insulting Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni.

According to the authorities, Joseph Kasumba, a resident of Kanoni town, abused the head of State who was on his way back from attending a New Year's church service at St John's Cathedral.

"When his [Museveni’s] convoy reached Kanoni town [Gomba District headquarters], Special Forces Command soldiers reportedly ordered one of the drivers to move his vehicle from the road to allow the presidential motorcade pass. This is when a group of youth allegedly led by Kasumba started exchanging words with the soldiers and abused President Museveni, calling him all sorts of names including Bosco. They also blamed him of constructing narrow roads," a police source who did not want to be named because he’s not authorised to speak to the media told the Daily Monitor.

Mr Kasumba drives a pickup truck that ferries agricultural produce to markets in the area.

Gomba District police chief Mr Robert Kuzaara said the accused is in custody at Kanoni Police Station pending investigations.

He said Mr Kasumba is likely to be charged with alarming, annoying and ridiculing the person of the president contrary to the Penal Code Act.

Related cases

Mr Kasumba joins a list of people who got into trouble for allegedly attacking the president.

Former Makerere University researcher and activist Dr Stella Nyanzi spent the holiday season in jail over abusing President Museveni and his deceased mother on September 16 on her Facebook page.

Dr Nyanzi is also facing another charge for allegedly describing President Museveni as “a pair of buttocks” and his wife, Janet, “empty-brained” in posts on her Facebook page in April 2017.

In October last year, one Ms Susan Namata was arrested after recording a video threatening to hit Mr Museveni's teeth with her genitals over the arrest of Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

In the same month, detectives also detained Mr Moses Nsubuga popularly known as Viboyo for singing a song in which he allegedly used obscene words to refer to government leaders including the President and Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.

Last July, Mr Hope Mulangira Kaweesa was also arrested on similar charges after he allegedly circulated an audio threatening to harm President Museveni.