Ugandan opposition leader in hiding after army chief threats

Ugandan opposition figure Bobi Wine is currently in hiding after the country’s army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the son of re‑elected President Yoweri Museveni, accused Wine of being a “terrorist” and threatened to track down and kill him, according to France 24 with AFP and Reuters on January 21st.

Bobi Wine, 43, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is a former musician who entered politics. He recently said that he was forced to flee a police raid on his home.

Wine, in a telephone interview, claimed that he was hiding and frequently on the move but was “housed and protected by the common people.” He had described the presidential election as “blatant theft.” His current whereabouts remain unknown.

Responding to the threat issued by Kainerugaba, Wine said: “I’m a presidential candidate and it’s not a crime to run against his father,” “I’m not a criminal”.

Kainerugaba, 51, who has openly signalled his ambition to succeed his father, warned in a post on social media platform X/Twitter that he would hunt down and kill Wine.

“We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week,” he wrote, referring to the opposition National Unity Platform, which Wine leads and which finished second in the election.

“I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” Kainerugaba added, using his nickname for the opposition leader. In a separate post, he advised Wine to surrender.

“I am giving him exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the Police,” Kainerugaba wrote. “If he doesn’t, we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly.” Police spokesperson Kituma Rusoke said that Wine was not being sought.

When asked about his party’s next steps, Wine said he had no clear plans. “In a dictatorship, you don’t draw a strategy, but you respond to the kind of oppression,” he said.

Uganda’s recent presidential election was overshadowed by violence and an internet blackout, and African observers reported that arrests and abductions had “instilled fear” among voters.

Museveni, 81, who secured his seventh term, and claimed victory by a landslide with 72 percent of the vote, has accused the opposition of being “terrorists” who attempted to use violence to overturn the results.

France 24 with AFP and Reuters, Maghrebi.org