By Ayomide Otitoju
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was forcibly taken from his home by security forces on Friday, according to his party, a day after elections that were overshadowed by reports of violence, repression and an internet blackout.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) said in a post on X that an army helicopter landed at Wine’s residence late on Friday and “forcibly took him away to an unknown destination.” The party added that his private security guards were “violently assaulted” during the operation.
Earlier, Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said he had been placed under house arrest after police surrounded his compound. The 43-year-old singer-turned-politician has emerged in recent years as the most prominent challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking to extend his rule of nearly four decades.
As vote counting continued on Friday, Museveni was comfortably leading, with the Electoral Commission putting him on 73.7 per cent against Wine’s 22.7 per cent, with about 81 per cent of ballots counted.
Tensions remained high following reports of deadly clashes involving security forces and opposition supporters. Muwanga Kivumbi, a lawmaker from Wine’s party representing Butambala in central Uganda, told AFP that security forces killed 10 of his campaign agents after storming his home. His wife, Zahara Nampewo, a law professor, said the victims had been hiding in their garage when security personnel opened fire.
“After killing them, the military continued firing,” Kivumbi said, alleging that evidence of the deaths was later removed, leaving only pools of blood.
Police disputed the account. Local police spokeswoman Lydia Tumushabe told AFP that “a group of NUP goons” had planned to attack and burn down a local tally centre and police station. She said an unspecified number of suspects were “put out of action,” while 25 others were arrested and charged with malicious damage of property.
Museveni, a former guerrilla leader who seized power in 1986, maintains firm control over the state and security apparatus and has faced repeated accusations of suppressing political opposition.
Election day was marked by significant logistical and technical problems, including the malfunction of biometric voter identification machines and delays in the delivery of ballot papers in several areas. The United Nations human rights office said last week that the polls were being held in an environment characterised by “widespread repression and intimidation” of the opposition.
On Thursday, Wine accused the government of orchestrating “massive ballot stuffing” and attacking several of his party officials under cover of the nationwide internet shutdown imposed earlier in the week.
