Kampala, (UG);- Uganda’s Opposition Leader and President of the National Unity Platform (NUP) Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, has declared 2025 a “revolutionary year” in the opposition’s ongoing fight for liberation from what he described as “four decades of oppression, suppression, and exploitation.”
Speaking at the NUP headquarters on Monday, January 6, 2025, Bobi Wine in his New Year address rallied Ugandans from all walks of life to seize the opportunity presented by this pivotal year.
“Many have called it just an election year, but I call it a revolutionary year,” the former Presidential contender and runner-up in Uganda’s 2021 elections stated. “It is a year of yet another opportunity to redeem ourselves and our nation from four decades of slavery.”
The NUP president highlighted missed opportunities in Uganda’s history, tracing a series of moments dating back to the country’s independence in 1962 where leadership transitions failed to deliver the promised freedoms and prosperity.
Bobi underscored the significance of 2025 as a chance for Ugandans to unite and chart a new course for the future. “We, the people of Uganda, have missed several opportunities to build a nation our ancestors dreamt about a nation at peace with itself, offering equal opportunities for all citizens,” he lamented.
“This year presents yet another opportunity for liberation, for redemption, and for a fresh start.”
Kyagulanyi lashed out at the Museveni administration for perpetuating corruption, neglecting public welfare, and fostering conditions that lead to widespread poverty, poor healthcare, and a failing education system.
Citing staggering statistics to illustrate the impact of corruption, the NUP leader pointed out the daily loss of UGX 27 billion to corruption, which he said could fund crucial infrastructure and services. “The money we lose to corruption every year could build hospitals in all 146 districts and still leave a balance,” he noted.
“Imagine what we could do in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and agriculture with the trillions stolen annually.”
Kyagulanyi called on Ugandans to take concrete action this year, urging everyone regardless of their profession or background to join the fight for freedom. “Let us use this year to fight for the future of our children and grandchildren,” he urged the masses, attracting immense applause from the gathering at Kavule.
“Use protests, election campaigns, Parliament, the media, and social media. Knock on doors. Use everything to fight. Have no shame, no apologies for fighting for a future that we truly deserve.”
Bobi Wine also used the same opportunity to rally the youth to register to vote in the upcoming Electoral Voters’ Register Update exercise which begins on January 20, in all villages across the country.
He also encouraged Ugandans to run for office under the NUP flag or other pro-people platforms but cautioned prospective leaders to remain grounded, warning them against corruption once elected.
The NUP leader expressed confidence in the resilience of Ugandans, even as he acknowledged threats from the regime. “Museveni’s son has already promised to cause mayhem and inflict harm upon us,” he said. “But God is with us. Whatever he desires for us will come upon him unless they repent and change course.”
Bobi Wine concluded his address with a call for unity and focus, reminding supporters to channel their energy toward dismantling the systems of oppression.
Below is Bobi Wine’s full statement
OUR NEW YEAR MESSAGE, DELIVERED TODAY AT THE National Unity Platform HEADQUARTERS:
Greetings to you, countrywomen and men, ladies and gentlemen! Happy New Year!
I welcome all of you to this year 2025 and once again express condolences to our friends who did not make it to this year, notably our Deputy President for Western Region, whom we lost last year. May their souls rest in peace!
We thank God that despite all challenges, we are still here and still able to breathe. It is not because our enemies wished it to be – there are many who have been working to see us off the surface of the earth, but it is because of God that we can still gather together. For this we are grateful. For this we say God is good. We say Alhamdulilah.
So comrades and friends, I welcome you to this year which is a very critical year in our revolutionary cause. Many have called it just an election year, but I call it a revolutionary year. I call it a year of yet another opportunity to redeem ourselves and our nation from four decades of slavery. Four decades of oppression, suppression and exploitation!
Throughout the history of our nation, we have been presented with different opportunities at different times and turns. We have been presented with opportunities to build a fair, just and prosperous nation. Unfortunately, we have missed most of those opportunities, which have put us in this vicious cycle of oppression.
The first opportunity was presented to us at independence in 1962. Unfortunately, those who took over from the colonialists immediately turned into oppressors themselves. Only four years after independence, our nation disintegrated into strife and missed that opportunity.
In 1971 when Idi Amin took over power, there was great jubilation everywhere. A few years down the road, there was wailing. Another missed opportunity!
In March 1979, our people gathered in Tanzania for the Moshi conference, determined to establish a new consensus. They formed the UNLF with the promise of uniting our nation and setting it on a path for freedom and development. Indeed, after the fall of Idi Amin, there was yet another period of jubilation in Uganda and beyond. But that jubilation was short lived.
Government after government bombed themselves into power until 1980 and our people continued to suffer and cry. Another missed opportunity.
In 1981 when Milton Obote returned to power, there was hope that perhaps the years of misery would come to an end. But soon after, Museveni and his group went to the bush protesting what they called the rigging of that election. Museveni and his group killed, maimed and exiled our people in hundreds of thousands. Indeed, almost a million people lost their lives. Another missed opportunity!
But because Museveni had claimed to be fighting for democracy and the rule of law, our people withstood the pain and suffering in the hope that when victory is won, they would live better lives. Indeed, when he finally took over power, there was celebration. The streets of Kampala burst into dancing and song. 40 years later, Museveni is still here and has exceeded all the atrocities committed by all previous governments. Not just a lost opportunity, but an opportunity stolen from the people of Uganda.
I have gone through this history, to emphasise the various points at which we, the people of Uganda, have missed the opportunity to build a nation which our grandfathers and grandmothers dreamt about. A nation at peace with itself. A nation which would offer equal opportunities for all citizens.
In the four decades of the Museveni rule, there have been several other opportunities presented to we, the people of Uganda – just like the case was with the regimes before him. Every election, every protest, every contestation under Museveni has presented us an opportunity for redemption, and yet we continue to live under the heavy load of oppression.
Every election cycle has presented an opportunity to put an end to oppression and start afresh- right from 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and indeed 2021.
Different times, different candidates, different actors – and yet, the dream of a new Uganda remains the same while simultaneously continuing to elude us.
Therefore ladies and gentlemen, we have another opportunity before us. The year 2025 presents yet another opportunity for liberation. For redemption. For a fresh start.
I am emphasizing 2025 because all the work that has to be done will have to be done within this year since Ugandans shall be going to the polls just a few days into 2026.
Before we went into the last election, I painted for the nation a picture of what 5 more years under Museveni would mean. We have so far made 4 years but it is already so much for our people.
Every day since 14th January 2021, twenty seven billion shillings is stolen under Museveni’s watch. Everyday. That’s a total of 10 trillion shillings every year! And that is just according to the IGG. It could be more. 5 years of Museveni, means 50 trillion shillings lost!
The government of Uganda spent about 42 billion shillings to build Kawempe Referral hospital and 37 billion to build Kiruddu hospital. This, without considering the inflation of costs and other aspects of corruption by the Museveni administration. That means that even if we decided to have hospitals at the level of Kiruddu or Kawempe in the 146 districts of Uganda, you would need 6.1 trillion to do that! The money we lose to corruption every year would be enough to build them and even leave a balance. Imagine how much we have lost so far from the time Museveni stole our victory, for indeed we were and are still determined to fight and put an end to corruption. Imagine what we would do with that money in the fields of education, health care, infrastructure, agriculture, etc.
What more?
The regime’s own data shows that out of all pupils who join primary one, less than 35% of them study up to Primary 7. Out of the 1.8 million who join primary school, 1.2 million drop out before writing PLE Exams. Every year. In five years, that is 6 million Ugandans, who are robbed of a bright future by those who rule over us.
But as we all know, Museveni and his wife who is his education minister do not care about this crisis. They do not care where these millions of people are. They do not care if they turn into criminals. Their solution is building enough prisons for them, and sending the rest of them to slavery in Arab countries! The regime which spends close to three billion shillings on Gen. Museveni’s home everyday, spends less than 20,000 shillings on each pupil per year! For a full year, ladies and gentlemen, the money which you use to buy 10 rolexes, the money which you pay a boda guy to pick you from Namugongo to our headquarters is what the Museveni regime spends on every child in a UPE school. Therefore, when this young man hits you with a katayimbwa (iron bar) in order to steal your phone, be angry with him but understand where the problem begins from!
What more? Each year, we lose over 62,000 women and babies, either in labour or within 42 days of it. They die either due to pregnancy complications, mismanagement, or infections, among others. These, like many others, are all preventable deaths if the regime cared about us. If they invested our money in us instead of investing it in themselves- organising birthday parties, living lavishly and buying properties abroad. If they were not using it to compromise some weak political opponents with so-called service awards and other bribes.
The situation would be different. Our people would not have to die of hunger in Karamoja and parts of Teso. The situation in public hospitals would be different- our people would not have to sleep on cement. They would not need to buy the most basic medicines in private pharmacies.
Our children would not have to study under trees. Our teachers would not have to resort to riding bodabodas because of poor pay!
I could go on and on with these statistics but they’re not even as important because they only summarise the lived experience of our people.
So this is my point:
With power, there is nothing; no condition within our capacity to change that we cannot change. We only need to have the good will to do so. Like Kwame Nkrumah once said, “Seek ye first the political kingdom and all else shall be added unto you.”
Power is a double edged sword. Give it to evil people, and they will use it to steal, kill and plunder. Give it to good people, and they will use it to build and empower. That is why we must take back that power from a group that has caused so much suffering and humiliation to our people and use it, as the people of Uganda, to build a better nation. We must fight to take power from a man who is not ashamed to say that he is only workout for himself, his children and grand children and use it to build a country based on freedom, fairness and social justice.
All of us, regardless of our differences in opinion, religion or tribe have only one country to call home – Uganda. If we are pained by whatever wrong is going on in this Uganda, we have the duty to get our hands dirty and resolve it. We must do that using each and every opportunity we get. That is why this year is very important.
I want to invite us all, fellow citizens, to get our hands dirty. You boda boda riders, you farmers, you soldiers and police officers, you mechanics, you lawyers, you doctors and nurses, you religious and cultural leaders, you nurses and doctors, no one can be safe in a sinking boat. The other day, our fellow citizen Ssemwaka Julius was shot dead here in Kampala over a simple traffic issue. A few days back a UPDF soldier, Amon Ariho was forced to send himself to an early grave because of the working environment in the military. Maybe these citizens didn’t care so much about politics. Maybe they didn’t think politics affected them in any way. Well, until their lives ended in the most cruel way because of bad politics.
Let us use this year to fight for the future of our children and grand children. Use protests of all kinds. Use election campaigns. Use Parliament. Use the mainstream media. Use social media. Our friends in the diaspora, protest, agitate and knock on doors. Use everything to fight. Have no shame, no apologies for fighting for a future that we truly deserve.
As we have constantly told the nation, we are committed to using every opportunity to put an end to this situation. If we succeed before an election, THANK GOD. If we get to the election, we must use it to mobilise, organise and agitate.
I ask especially the young people of Uganda, to crowd all those registration points from the 20th of this month and register to vote.
I want to encourage all people young and old, across the country to stand for office under the NUP flag and other pro-people fronts. Go for different positions. Not all of you will be MPs because there can only be one MP for every constituency. Run for LC 1 Chairperson. Run to become a councillor. Run to be on the youth, women, PWDs, and the elderly committees. Replace those corrupt officials and when you win, do not become corrupt yourself. But as you run and do your politics, do not stand in the way of the revolution. That position you are fighting to occupy is nothing compared to the freedom the people of Uganda seek to achieve.
Let me also encourage everyone who seeks to run under the NUP flag to connect with the people. Whether you’re an incumbent leader or not, your bosses are the people. The NUP flag is not at Kavule on anyone’s desk. It is not for sale. The NUP flag is on the ground. Whatever mode of candidate selection we eventually decide to use, the voice of the people will override any other consideration.
To you comrade foot soldiers, this year is going to be a tough one. Museveni’s son has already promised to cause mayhem and inflict harm upon us. He even promised to cut off my nose. But God is with us. Whatever he desires for us will come upon him and his family unless they repent and change course. Let us remain united and focused.
Let us remember who the enemy is and focus there. The rest are pawns on his chessboard.
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Fellow citizens, let us get to work. If we succeed, we shall pat ourselves on the back. If we don’t, we must never blame ourselves for not doing enough.
