NUP raises alarm over Bobi Wine’s safety ahead of tense 2026 elections

Kampala, Uganda: The National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised concerns over the safety of its president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, as Uganda heads toward the 2026 general elections.

Party officials say there are growing fears that the state could resort to harassment, arrests, or abductions to curtail Bobi Wine’s political activities, echoing patterns witnessed in past election cycles.

“Every election cycle, we have witnessed intimidation of our president and our supporters. We are concerned that as 2026 approaches, the same old tactics of arrests and abductions may be deployed once again to derail our struggle for democracy,” a senior NUP official told journalists in Kampala.

Bobi Wine, who heads Uganda’s leading opposition party, has previously been detained multiple times, including during the 2021 campaign period when his rallies were violently dispersed and his movements restricted. NUP has consistently accused security agencies of targeting its leaders under the guise of enforcing public order.

Human rights advocates have weighed in, warning that repeated crackdowns on opposition activities could erode the credibility of the upcoming elections. They urge government to respect freedoms of association, expression, and assembly, which are enshrined in Uganda’s Constitution.

Government spokespersons, however, have dismissed the accusations, insisting that law enforcement operates within the law and that all political actors are free to mobilize provided they adhere to established regulations.

As political temperatures rise, the question of Bobi Wine’s safety and the operating space available for opposition activity has become central to Uganda’s 2026 political discourse. For NUP, ensuring its leader remains free to campaign could determine the party’s momentum heading into the polls.