NAIROBI, Kenya — Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has issued a defiant message to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, declaring that security forces cannot apprehend him because he is being shielded by ordinary citizens.
In a pointed message directed at the army chief, Bobi Wine challenged the military to arrest him.
“A rebel without a gun, hiding in plain sight, and yet you can’t find me because I’m concealed by the people. Catch me if you can!” he said.
The remarks come amid uncertainty over Bobi Wine’s whereabouts following Uganda’s disputed January 15 presidential election, which he says was characterised by fraud, intimidation, and state violence.
On January 27, the opposition leader alleged that security operatives had intensified efforts to track him down.
“Operatives went to Busabala. Asked staff if I had been there. Tried to compromise one to tip them off if I come around. There was an aerial drone hovering over the night before,” Bobi Wine said, adding that he would “reappear at an appropriate time.”
US apology and diplomatic row
The confrontation follows a dramatic reversal by Muhoozi, who had earlier claimed Uganda would suspend military cooperation with the United States, alleging that Bobi Wine had “kidnapped himself” with the support of the US Embassy.
The army chief later deleted the posts and issued a public apology.
“I want to apologise to our great friends, the United States, for my earlier tweets that I have now deleted. I was being fed with wrong information,” Muhoozi said.
He clarified that Uganda’s military cooperation with Washington would continue uninterrupted, including joint operations in Somalia.
Muhoozi also credited Uganda’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare, with helping defuse the diplomatic tensions.
“I must thank our super diplomat, H.E. Adonia Ayebare, for quickly resolving any issues we might have had with our good friends the United States of America,” he said, adding that he would welcome Ayebare’s appointment as Foreign Affairs minister.
Post-election fallout
The standoff is unfolding against the backdrop of heightened political tension after Uganda’s Electoral Commission declared President Yoweri Museveni the winner with 71.65pc of the vote, extending his nearly four-decade rule.
Bobi Wine placed second with 24.72pc but rejected the outcome, citing widespread irregularities and voter suppression.
In the days following the election, Muhoozi sparked outrage with social media posts threatening the opposition and claiming security forces had killed 22 alleged opposition “terrorists.”
He also issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Bobi Wine to surrender, warning that failure to do so would result in him being treated as an outlaw.
Bobi Wine has accused security forces of raiding his home in Magere, cutting electricity, disabling surveillance cameras, and deploying helicopters, leaving his family confined inside the compound.
Human rights groups and foreign observers have previously raised concerns about the conduct of Uganda’s elections, citing restrictions on opposition activity, internet disruptions, and the militarisation of the political process.
The latest exchange underscores deepening strains between the government and the opposition, as well as the growing role of the military in Uganda’s political discourse following the election.
