Ugandan authorities have firmly rejected allegations that presidential hopeful Bobi Wine was abducted on Friday evening, as the nation grapples with vote counting amid a significant internet blackout. Wine, the main opponent of President Yoweri Museveni, raised concerns about the election’s legitimacy, questioning the credibility of the results being announced.
According to Wine’s political party, a helicopter reportedly landed at his residence in Kampala and forcibly took him away. Initially, his son Solomon Kampala claimed that both of his parents had been taken, but he later clarified that Bobi Wine had “escaped,” while his mother remained under house arrest. This sequence of events has led to considerable uncertainty regarding the opposition leader’s current location.
Police response to abduction allegations
During a press briefing on Saturday, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke stated that Bobi Wine was safe in his home and accused family members of disseminating “untrue” and “unfounded” claims. He elaborated that the restrictions on Wine’s movements stemmed from his residence being classified as a “security interest area.” Rusoke emphasized, “We cannot allow people to use some places to gather and cause chaos. All our actions are intended to prevent anybody from creating violence or destabilizing our security,” as reported by Uganda’s Daily Monitor.
Following the election held on Thursday, preliminary results indicated that Museveni had garnered 72% of the votes, compared to Wine’s 24%, based on data from 94% of polling stations. Despite these figures, Wine urged his supporters to disregard the announced results, alleging that officials were “stealing the vote.” However, he did not provide concrete evidence to support his claims, and the authorities have yet to respond to these allegations.
Election environment and ongoing tensions
Solomon Kampala expressed concerns about the rapidly changing security situation surrounding his parents’ home, stating via social media, “Amidst the raid my father was able to escape, my mother is still currently under [house] arrest, still nobody is allowed to enter the house.” The ongoing internet blackouts have severely hindered the verification of information, leading to rising tensions.
Reports emerged late on Friday detailing the deaths of at least seven opposition supporters under disputed circumstances in Butambala, approximately 55 kilometers southwest of Kampala. The U.S. embassy subsequently issued a warning to its citizens regarding security forces reportedly using tear gas and firing into the air to disperse crowds.
Throughout the election day, many polling stations experienced delays of up to four hours due to slow arrivals of ballot boxes and malfunctioning biometric machines intended for voter verification. These issues have been speculated to be linked to the internet disruption.
Electoral chief Simon Byabakama reassured the public on Friday that the vote counting process was not impeded by the blackout and confirmed that final results would be released by 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Saturday. This election follows a campaign period marked by violence, with President Museveni, now 81, seeking a seventh term in office after taking power as a rebel leader in 1986.
Bobi Wine, a prominent 43-year-old pop star turned politician, has positioned himself as a voice for the youth in a nation with a predominantly young population. He has pledged to address corruption and implement substantial reforms, while Museveni contends that he is the only force capable of guaranteeing stability and progress in Uganda. Although there are six additional candidates, the election is largely perceived as a battle between Museveni and Wine.
The campaign has been overshadowed by accusations of security forces disrupting opposition activities, including the assault and detention of Wine’s supporters. Rusoke dismissed these claims, accusing opposition affiliates of inciting disturbances. The communications blackout initiated on Tuesday has been justified by Uganda’s Communications Commission as a necessary measure to prevent misinformation and violence, a move that has drawn criticism from the UN human rights office as “deeply worrying.”