Uganda’s opposition leader, Bobi Wine, was arrested on Thursday as he returned home from a trip abroad, sparking protests and clashes in the capital, Kampala. His party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), said he was “picked up by regime operatives” as soon as he landed at the airport.
Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is a former singer and a prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for 35 years. He is challenging Museveni in the presidential election scheduled for January 2023.
The NUP posted a photo on X, formerly Twitter, showing two men grabbing Bobi Wine by the arms on the tarmac. The party also shared a video of his “violent arrest” by security forces. The reason for his arrest was not immediately clear, but police had warned that they would not allow any rallies or processions to welcome him back.
Bobi Wine had been on a tour in several countries, including South Africa, where he met with other opposition leaders and human rights activists. He had also visited the United States and Britain, where he addressed the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Uganda.
His arrest triggered angry demonstrations by his supporters in Kampala and other parts of the country. Police and military responded with tear gas and live bullets to disperse the crowds. At least three people were killed and 34 others were injured, according to police and the Red Cross.
Another presidential candidate, Mugisha Muntu, announced that he would suspend his campaign until Bobi Wine was released. He called on Ugandans to “rise up” against Museveni’s “brutal dictatorship”.
Bobi Wine has faced numerous arrests and alleged human rights abuses since he joined politics in 2017. He was arrested in early November after handing in his nomination papers to the electoral commission. He accused Museveni of trying to silence him and his supporters ahead of the election.
By Newshub