A rally marking Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine’s candidacy for next year’s presidential election descended into chaos on Wednesday after police clashed with his supporters in Kampala.
Hundreds of young people gathered on the streets carrying portraits of Wine, defying warnings from the electoral commission to avoid political gatherings. Tensions quickly escalated when demonstrators attempted to push through police cordons, prompting officers to use batons to disperse the crowd.
Among those arrested was Allan Sewanyana, a youth leader in Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP), along with about a dozen others, according to party secretary general Lewis Lubongoya.
Wine, 43, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, was officially nominated as a candidate for the January 2026 election earlier in the day. Speaking after his nomination, he accused President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly 40 years, of clinging to power through force and repression.
“Uganda has been ruled by one man with a small group of his family members for the last four decades. They have looted our country, and this is the time he should hand over power,” Wine said. “We know Museveni is scared of young people and would resort to brutal force to remain in power. I call upon all Ugandans to stand up and challenge dictator Museveni.”
Museveni, 81, also had his candidacy confirmed by the electoral commission, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown between the long-serving leader and his most formidable challenger.
Wine previously contested the 2021 election, which was marred by allegations of widespread vote rigging and brutal crackdowns on the opposition. He has since faced multiple arrests, intimidation, and threats from Museveni’s camp.
The president’s son and heir-apparent, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has repeatedly threatened Wine on social media, at one point suggesting he should be beheaded.
The crackdown on opposition voices extends beyond Wine. Last year, veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye was abducted from Kenya and returned to Uganda, where he now faces a treason trial that carries a possible death penalty.
The events in Kampala underscore growing concerns that Uganda’s 2026 election will be held under an atmosphere of intimidation, violence, and repression, as opposition groups continue to challenge Museveni’s decades-long grip on power.
