Displaying items by tag: Bobi Wine

On 15 January Uganda headed into a tense election as Yoweri Museveni sought a seventh term as president after nearly four decades in power. The final days of campaigning have been marked by heavy military deployments in the capital, Kampala, and a government-ordered suspension of mobile internet services, measures which opposition figures say signal growing authoritarianism. Museveni’s main challenger, Bobi Wine, has drawn strong support from younger, urban voters frustrated by unemployment, corruption and limited political change. Security forces say their presence is intended to prevent violence, but rights groups are concerned about intimidation and force used against opposition supporters. While Museveni retains strong backing in rural regions and is expected to win, critics fear the process will lack credibility. The aging president's authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his controversial son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The election highlights deep divisions in Uganda, as many citizens long for peaceful transition, accountable leadership and hope for a more inclusive future.

Uganda’s main opposition party, the NUP, has said its leader Bobi Wine was detained upon returning from a trip abroad. The singer-turned-politician arrived at Entebbe airport on 5 October after visiting several countries, including South Africa. A photo appeared to show two men seizing him by the arms on the tarmac. However, the police said he was ‘successfully escorted by our security team’, and urged people to disregard rumours of his arrest by ‘propagandists’. In September the police announced they were banning rallies being organised by the NUP across the country because of public order issues. There is a long history of authorities using so-called ‘preventative arrest’ to detain opposition leaders, often holding them for several hours before returning them to their homes so as to stymie mass demonstrations. Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is a prominent critic of President Museveni’s government. He ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 2021 against Museveni, who is serving a sixth term in power.