‘Whatever happens to me, Museveni and his son are responsible’ – Bobi Wine

Kampala, (UG):– The National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, has accused President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, of orchestrating a plot against his life amid a fresh wave of abductions and political repression of opposition politicians and supporters.

Bobi Wine in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday afternoon, claimed that armed men clad in civilian clothes have been patrolling his home and that several of his close allies, including members of his security team, have been abducted.

“Whatever happens to me, Museveni and his son are responsible. From yesterday, our home is being patrolled by strange men in civilian clothes who appear to be armed. We have information that they’re after my life – as threatened by Museveni’s son a few days ago,” Bobi Wine stated.

“They have gone ahead to trail and abduct many of our comrades, including part of my security team,” he added.

The former Presidential contender and eventual runner-up further revealed that Ugandan security forces had raided the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters, intensifying concerns over the continued repression of opposition voices in the country.

Despite the growing threats, Bobi Wine maintains that the opposition will not be silenced. “We expect anything from the cowardly regime – BUT WE ARE NOT INTIMIDATED!” he declared.

Abductions targeting NUP leaders

The latest update from Mr Wine comes amidst a wave of abductions of NUP officials, including the party’s election management team members. On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, four NUP officials; Mercy Walukamba, Rahma Juma, Rovans Alex Lwanyaga, and Eddie Kayabura were abducted at gunpoint in Lungala, Mpigi District, while returning from a burial in Rakai.

But following public pressure, two of the abductees; Walukamba and Juma, were reportedly driven from a military detention facility at Mbuya and dumped at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka before being released. The fate of Lwanyaga and Kayabura remains unknown.

Bobi Wine and other opposition figures have decried the abductions as part of a larger crackdown on government critics ahead of the 2026 elections, with the latest raid on the NUP headquarters and the reported targeting of the party president’s security team signalling an escalation in political repression.

Over the past few years, the Ugandan government has been accused of using intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and military crackdowns to silence opposition voices.

During the 2021 presidential election campaign, Bobi Wine was repeatedly arrested, his rallies blocked, and his supporters violently dispersed, which saw hundreds of opposition activists detained, with many still missing or held without trial to date.

But President Museveni’s NRM-led government has consistently denied involvement in illegal abductions, claiming that security operations target individuals involved in criminal activities, despite facing intense criticism from human rights organizations and international observers accusing Uganda of increased authoritarianism and crackdown on dissent.