Opposition leader, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, escaped soldiers at his home, though he refuses to say how. His current location is unknown. He claims Uganda’s January 15 presidential election was “a complete falsehood” and says he and his supporters are determined to “liberate the country.”
Army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Yoweri Museveni, threatened Wine on social media, boasting of killing 22 opposition supporters and expressing intent to harm Wine personally.
President Museveni was declared the winner with nearly 72% of the vote, but turnout was just over 50%, reflecting widespread resignation rather than support. Many Ugandans stayed home as a silent form of protest in a country where power has never changed hands at the ballot box.
In Kampala, soldiers and police patrol the streets, and over a thousand people may have been detained since the January 15 election, though exact numbers are unknown. Opposition groups have been suspended, activists are in hiding, and at least seven supporters of Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform were killed by security forces.
The crackdown aims to prevent protests. With Wine in hiding and veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye imprisoned, the opposition is in disarray. Many Ugandans see the election as a sham, with the state treating it like a military operation. Similar patterns are seen in Tanzania, Congo, and Djibouti, where elections mainly serve to recycle elites and claim legitimacy rather than enable real change.
Bobi Wine says all he wants is freedom as military threats continue. He alleged that his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, was assaulted and held at gunpoint by soldiers who searched their home, confiscating documents and electronics. Uganda’s military chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, denied the claims, saying his forces were only looking for Wine and did not harm women.
Barbara, speaking from hospital, described being hit, choked, and partially undressed during the raid, leaving her with physical and psychological trauma. Wine confirmed the military still surrounds their home while searching for him and thanked supporters for keeping him safe.
