By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Uganda’s military is reportedly intensifying efforts to locate opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, after he went into hiding following the country’s disputed presidential election.
In a video shared from an undisclosed location, Wine was seen walking through a family graveyard in central Uganda, mocking the army leadership for failing to apprehend him and lamenting what he described as deepening injustice under President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
The 43-year-old musician-turned-politician has evaded security forces for more than a week, fuelling a public war of words with the army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the president’s son, in what has become a highly visible political standoff.
Wine went underground shortly after the January 15 election, which was marred by an internet shutdown and the failure of biometric voter identification systems designed to prevent ballot manipulation. He has rejected the official results declaring Museveni winner with 71.6 per cent of the vote, securing a seventh term in office.
In messages to supporters, Wine urged Ugandans to challenge the government through lawful means, insisting that the heavy military deployment during the election exposed weaknesses rather than strength.
“The whole army is looking for one person. It’s now close to 10 days, but they have failed to find me. That means they are not as strong as they claim,” Wine said in a video posted on X.
The opposition leader said soldiers raided his home a day after the vote, but he had already gone into hiding, citing fears for his safety after weeks of campaigning under intense security presence, often wearing protective gear.
Wine’s defiance has angered General Kainerugaba, who has led the manhunt and publicly branded the opposition leader a “coward,” a “terrorist,” and a “baboon” in a series of inflammatory social media posts, some of which were later deleted.
Kainerugaba has claimed Wine and senior figures in his National Unity Platform party are wanted for criminal offences, though he did not specify the charges. However, police and government spokesperson Chris Baryomunsi have said Wine is not officially wanted and is free to return home.
In a separate message, Wine said he had briefly visited his ancestral home “to get some love,” adding: “Another day of hiding. Another day of injustice. In a country under family rule, the ruling family is always above the law”.
The escalating confrontation has heightened post-election tensions, with many Ugandans fearing that any harm to Wine could trigger unrest. The opposition leader enjoys strong support among urban youth frustrated by unemployment, corruption and the lack of economic opportunities after nearly four decades of Museveni’s rule.
Anger deepened further after a January 23 raid on Wine’s residence, during which his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, said soldiers assaulted her, leaving her hospitalised with anxiety and bruises. She told reporters that masked men broke into the house, demanded to know Wine’s whereabouts and attacked her when she refused to cooperate.
Kyagulanyi said she was lifted off the ground by her clothing and had her head slammed against a pillar while attackers demanded access to her phone.
General Kainerugaba later acknowledged responsibility for the raid but denied that Wine’s wife was assaulted. “My soldiers did not beat Barbie,” he wrote on X. “We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her”.
President Museveni, 81, has accused the opposition of attempting to incite violence during the electoral process. His supporters credit him with maintaining relative stability in a region plagued by conflict, making Uganda a refuge for hundreds of thousands displaced from neighbouring countries.
Museveni’s new term will extend his time in power to nearly five decades, further entrenching his status as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
