In a bombshell interview with the BBC, Uganda’s opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, made it clear he will not challenge the disputed January 15 election results in court, saying he has no trust in Uganda’s judiciary and legal system. “The judiciary in Uganda is captured,” the 43-year-old former pop star said from an undisclosed hiding place, adding that he and his supporters should instead seek every constitutional and peaceful means to defend democracy.
Kyagulanyi, whose whereabouts have been unknown for days, reiterated his rejection of the official results, which declared President Yoweri Museveni the winner with around 72% of the vote to his 25%, calling them “fake” and inconsistent with what was witnessed at polling stations and on declaration forms.
In the interview, Kyagulanyi also accused security forces of besieging his home in Kampala, cutting off power and communications, and preventing food from reaching his family, who he said remain effectively under house arrest. He claims he fled the compound during a late-night security operation, though authorities deny raiding his home and insist the deployment was to protect him.
He warned of an ongoing “silent massacre” of political activists, asserting without publicly verifiable evidence that more than 100 people have been killed in election-related violence, and called on Ugandans to take to the streets in peaceful protest to “fight back” and protect their rights.
Meanwhile, international observers like the African Union said they found no evidence of ballot stuffing but criticised a days-long internet shutdown that only ended shortly after Museveni was declared the winner.
Kyagulanyi’s stance echoes his response after the 2021 election, when he initially challenged the results but later withdrew his petition, citing bias and lack of impartiality in the courts.
