March 22, 2021 - 11:37 PM
KAMPALA, Uganda - Ugandan police said an American man has been detained over alleged involvement in “subversive activities” against the government.
Police said the man identified as Guy Smith was arrested Sunday in a remote town in the country’s west and is being detained at a police facility in the capital, Kampala.
The police statement late Monday gave no more details, and it was not immediately possible to get a comment from the U.S. Embassy.
Ugandan authorities increasingly accuse foreigners of meddling in the country's internal affairs, charges that have raised tensions between President Yoweri Museveni and the country's development partners.
Ahead of a presidential election in January, Museveni accused his main opponent, the singer and lawmaker known as Bobi Wine, of being a foreign agent. Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, denies the charges and says he represents many Ugandans who want to see a peaceful transfer of power.
The allegations of outside interference contributed to a charged atmosphere during the election season, with Museveni deploying the military in the streets of urban centres where authorities fear the opposition is planning riots that could overwhelm the regime.
Museveni, 76, is a U.S. ally who has held power in this East African country since 1986.
News from © The Associated Press, 2021