Renowned Kampala fashion designer remanded over Bobi Wine attire

A 47-year-old renowned Kampala fashion designer has been remanded to prison after he was allegedly found in possession of a bag full of clothes and caps that resemble police and army uniforms. 

Latif Madoi, a resident of Jokolera village, Waitubba Parish, Kasangati town council was arrested on Monday after police and the army raided his LA Fashions and Skill Development School.
Madoi, also known as Rasta has been designing red attires for National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters and leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine.

Supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party which Mr Kyagulanyi leads have been donning red berets and red attires since 2017 when Mr Kyagulanyi contested and won Kyadondo East MP seat through a by-election.
In 2019, police and the army outlawed the attire and the berets on grounds that it’s supposed to be only worn by members of the armed forces.

This was after Mr Kyagulanyi, a pop star turned politician announced he was running for president against longtime leader Museveni in the 2021 presidential election.
On the day Madoi was arrested, police and the army also raided the home Makindye East MP, Derrick Nyeko, former NUP headquarters in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb, and shops in Kawempe known for selling the red berets and clothes to NUP supporters.
Four other people were also arrested during the operation, according to police.

The other suspects are; Joseph Afundra, 37, Rogers Kalyesubula, Shaban Taala, 27, all residents of Jokolera village, and Moses Migadde, 32, a resident of Matugga in Wakiso District in central Uganda.
The four are believed to be supporters of Mr Kyagulanyi, 42, a former presidential contender who lost the 2021 election to Mr Yoweri Museveni, 79.

On the charge sheet presented on Friday (May 17) at Kasangati Magistrate’s Court presided over by Edgar Nyakairu, the deputy superintendent of police (D/SP) Onesmus Kamugisha who preferred charges against Madoi said he was found in possession of an army green bag containing army green clothes and caps resembling Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and Uganda Police Force (UPDF) uniforms which are reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully obtained.

Using and being in possession of uniforms declared to be for the exclusive use of persons performing services in the public interest contrary to section 170 (2) &(3) of the Penal Code Act cap 120, according to D/SP Kamugisha.

The prosecution told the court that on May 13, 2024, at Jokolera Village, Wakiso District, the fashion designer without the authority of UPDF and police was found in possession of an army green bag containing suspected [full army combat, army green raincoat material, two army green materials, three military caps, army green head sock, army green pair of shorts, two military overalls, a pair of army green trousers and a pair of black shoes] all closely resembling UPDF and police uniforms which are reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully obtained.

He was remanded to prison until June 10, 2024, when he will be returned to court for further mention of the case.

Apart from designing Lucky Dube when he visited Uganda in 2003, Madoi has over the years gone on to design for some of the biggest global names in the entertainment industry.
Artistes like Morgan Heritage, Busy Signal, Anthony B, Jose Chameleone, and Bobi Wine, among others have been some of his biggest clients.

Following Madoi’s arrest, Mr Kyagulanyi posted on his X handle; “We will defy any legal attacks on our rights and freedoms to freely express ourselves through fashion. I publicly wear the overall that he (Madoi) made for me, why should he be in jail for making it?”