Uganda’s Bobi Wine Detained Ahead Of January Polls

Reports suggest that Ugandan presidential candidate Bobi Wine has been detained while campaigning. This is the third time the musician-turned-politician has been detained in two months. 

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has been detained for allegedly breaching a campaign ban imposed as a result of coronavirus restrictions. However, the district he was campaigning in wasn’t covered by the ban. 

Wine was escorted from the scene to a military helicopter by armed offices, while wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest. 

A spokesman for Wine’s National Unity Platform party Joel Senyonyi described the move as part of continued efforts at intimidation. 

“The state is trying to slow us down, to intimidate our candidate and citizens. But we are determined. We are very strong. We are going all the way. We must remove the dictatorship,” Senyonyi is quoted as saying. 

Uganda is set to hold presidential elections on January 14. Wine is considered the strongest challenger to President Museveni who has been in office since 1986. 

This week UN human rights experts stated, “We are gravely concerned by the election-related violence, the excessive use of force by security personnel, as well as the increasing crackdown on peaceful protesters, political and civil society leaders and human rights defenders.” 

“Since the publication of the guidelines on the conduct of elections during Covid-19 in June by the Uganda electoral commission, we have witnessed gradual shrinking of civic space, and misuse and abuse of health-related restrictions to curb dissent in the country,” it continued.