By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Uganda’s electoral body has cleared opposition leader, Bobi Wine to run in the country’s January 2026 presidential election, pitting him against the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni who has ruled the East African country for nearly 40 years.
“Our country is one of the richest countries on the planet in terms of natural resources so…our problem is not lack of wealth,” Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi said on Wednesday after he was declared a candidate by the electoral body’s top official in the capital Kampala.
“Our problem is lack of leadership, leadership that serves the people instead of terrorising them and exploiting them.”
Wine, music star-turned-politician, first challenged Museveni in the 2021 polls but came in second place.
The 43-year-old however rejected the results and said his victory had been stolen through pre-ticked ballots, intimidation by security forces, falsification of results and voter bribery.
Museveni, 81, who has ruled since 1986, was cleared to seek another term on Tuesday. If he wins, his tenure of office will span nearly half a century.
Wine’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has over the years decried what they say is continuous kidnapping, illegal detention and torture of its supporters and officials by Museveni’s government.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and head of the military, in January threatened to behead Wine.
In May, Muhoozi also admitted to confining a missing NUP official in his basement and also threatened violence against him.
