Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was forcibly taken from his home in an army helicopter, according to a statement from his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP). The claim came a day after Uganda’s election, which was marked by reports of violence and a nationwide internet blackout, according to the same reports.
NUP said an army helicopter landed inside Wine’s compound and took him to an unknown location, adding that his private security guards were violently assaulted during the operation. Before the helicopter incident, Wine had said he was under house arrest after police surrounded his residence and compound.
Party claims “unknown destination”
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is 43 and is a singer-turned-politician who has become President Yoweri Museveni’s most prominent challenger in recent years, according to the reports. Both reports describe NUP’s account as saying the helicopter took Wine away to an “unknown destination.”
One report also says Wine told Anadolu that there was a heavy military presence around his house. That same report describes Kampala as calm but tense, with the city largely deserted and shops closed.
Election results differ by outlet
As votes were being counted, the two reports presented different sets of figures attributed to Uganda’s Electoral Commission. One report said preliminary results placed Museveni at 75.38% and Kyagulanyi at 20.71%. Another report said the Electoral Commission had Museveni on 73.7% and Wine on 22.7% with close to 81% of votes counted.
The report that cited the 73.7% figure also said final results were due around 1300 GMT on Saturday. Both reports describe Museveni as seeking to extend a rule that has lasted about four decades.
Internet blackout and voting problems
Both reports say authorities imposed an internet blackout during the election period. One report adds that Wine accused the government of “massive ballot stuffing” and said several of his party officials were attacked under cover of the blackout, which it said was imposed on Tuesday.
That same report says election day was affected by technical issues, including biometric machines used to confirm voters’ identities malfunctioning, and ballot papers not being delivered for several hours in many areas. It also says there was a heavy security presence across the country.
Reports of violence and disputed accounts
Both reports say there were reports of violence targeting the opposition in different parts of Uganda. One report details claims from Muwanga Kivumbi, a member of parliament for Wine’s party in the Butambala area of central Uganda, who told AFP that security forces killed 10 of his campaign agents after storming his home.
The same report says Kivumbi’s wife, Zahara Nampewo, described the 10 as hiding in their garage when security forces fired through the door. It also quotes Kivumbi saying the military removed evidence of the dead, leaving only a pool of blood.
In a different account within that report, local police spokeswoman Lydia Tumushabe told AFP that a group she described as “NUP goons” had planned to overrun and burn down a local tally centre and police station. She said an unspecified number were “put out of action,” and the report adds that she said 25 others were arrested and charged with malicious damage of property.
Repression concerns highlighted
Both reports say the United Nations rights office had said the elections were taking place in an environment marked by “widespread repression and intimidation” against the opposition. One report says opposition parties described the election as being conducted under widespread repression.
That report also cites Benjamin Katana, identified as a senior figure in Wine’s party, saying there was a lack of clarity in how votes were tallied in districts announced by the Electoral Commission, raising concerns about the integrity of the process. It adds that he cited voter intimidation, hostility toward opposition polling agents, and a systematic failure of electronic biometric voting machines as issues he linked to whether the election was free and fair.
Who is Bobi Wine?
Both reports describe Wine as a former pop star and singer who entered politics and became a central opposition figure. They also say he styles himself the “ghetto president,” a label connected in one report to the slum areas of Kampala where he grew up.
The same report describes Museveni as having taken power in 1986 and says he has maintained strong control over the state and security apparatus during his rule. Both reports also say analysts have long viewed the election as a formality, linking that view to Museveni’s grip on state power and security forces.
