Kampala, Uganda – In a video shared from hiding, Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine walked through a family graveyard in central Uganda, mocking the army chief who has failed to capture him and lamenting what he called the injustice that has befallen him.
The 43-year-old musician-turned-politician, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has been evading a military hunt for more than a week, infuriating Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the army chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni. The standoff has become a very public rivalry, raising tensions in the country following a disputed election.
Disputed Election and Military Hunt
Wine went into hiding shortly after Uganda’s January 15 presidential election, which was marred by an internet shutdown and failures of biometric voter identification kits meant to prevent ballot stuffing. Official results declared Museveni the winner with 71.6% of the vote, securing him a seventh term.
Wine rejected the outcome, urging his supporters to expose government weaknesses through legal means despite the heavy military presence during the vote.
Ugandan soldiers raided Wine’s house the day after the election, but he had already fled, fearing for his life after weeks of campaigning in a helmet and flak jacket under constant security force surveillance.
In his latest video message, Wine said his ability to evade capture shows the government is weaker than it claims.
“The whole army is looking for one person. It’s now coming to 10 days, but they have failed to find me. That means they are not as strong as they tell you,” Wine said.
War of Words with Muhoozi
The hunt for Wine is being led by Gen. Kainerugaba, widely seen as Museveni’s presumptive heir. He has responded to Wine’s taunts with insults, calling him a coward, a “baboon,” and a “terrorist” in posts on X.
Kainerugaba claimed Wine and other leaders of his National Unity Platform (NUP) are wanted for criminal offences, though Ugandan police and government spokesman Chris Baryomunsi insist Wine is not wanted and is free to return home.
Wine, however, said he went to his ancestral home “to get some love,” adding:
“Another day of hiding. Another day of injustice. As I have always said, in a country under family rule, the ruling family is always above the law.”
Concerns Over Unrest
The escalating exchanges have heightened fears of unrest. Wine, the most prominent of seven candidates who ran against Museveni, commands strong support among young urban Ugandans frustrated by corruption and lack of economic opportunities. Many see him as a symbol of political change after Museveni’s four decades in power.
Tensions deepened after a January 23 raid on Wine’s home, during which his wife Barbara Kyagulanyi (Barbie) said she was roughed up by soldiers. Speaking from her hospital bed, she described masked men breaking into the house, lifting her off the floor by her pyjamas, and banging her head against a pillar while demanding her phone password.
Kainerugaba acknowledged responsibility for the raid but denied Barbie was assaulted.
“My soldiers did not beat Barbie. We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her,” he posted on X.
Museveni’s Seventh Term
At 81, Museveni remains one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders and a long-time U.S. ally. His supporters credit him with maintaining relative peace and stability, making Uganda a refuge for hundreds of thousands fleeing violence in neighboring countries.
Yet the opposition insists the latest election was fraudulent, and Wine’s defiance has become a rallying point for Ugandans demanding change.
