Bobi Wine 'forcibly taken by army,' party claims
Uganda's main opposition figure, Bobi Wine, was reportedly abducted by the military and taken to an undisclosed location, according to claims from his National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
The party stated on Friday evening via a post on X that an army helicopter had descended into Wine's compound in Kampala, the capital, and "forcibly taken him away to an unknown destination."
Reuters was unable to independently confirm the allegation at the time, and certain high-ranking party members indicated they lacked full verification. Representatives from the Ugandan government and armed forces did not provide immediate responses to inquiries for comment.
The incident unfolded as President Yoweri Museveni, aged 81, appeared poised for a decisive reelection victory following Thursday's general election. Wine has accused authorities of widespread electoral fraud amid a nationwide internet shutdown during the voting process. He urged his supporters to demonstrate in response.
His party previously reported on Thursday that Wine had been effectively confined to his home under house arrest.
The election served as a critical measure of Museveni's enduring hold on power and his capacity to prevent the kind of civil disturbances that have affected neighboring countries like Tanzania and Kenya in recent times. Early partial results showed Museveni commanding a substantial lead, with expectations of an official announcement of his win in the near term.
As of Friday evening, President Yoweri Museveni—who has ruled Uganda since 1986—was leading decisively with close to 74% of the votes, according to figures released by the Electoral Commission. Opposition leader Bobi Wine followed with around 23%.
Despite a tense campaign period marked by violent confrontations at opposition gatherings and what the United Nations described as extensive repression and intimidation tactics, Thursday’s voting day itself unfolded without major incidents.
However, deadly clashes erupted overnight in Butambala, a town roughly 55 km (35 miles) southwest of Kampala. Accounts of the violence varied between local police and a parliamentarian from the region.
Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe stated that a group of opposition supporters, whom she described as “goons” armed with machetes and allegedly organized by local MP Muwanga Kivumbi, stormed a police station and a vote-tallying center.
“Security responded in self-defence because these people came in big numbers. Police fired in self-defence,” she told Reuters. She added that authorities had detained 25 individuals in connection with the incident.
The conflicting narratives surrounding the violence in Butambala underscored the heightened tensions that persisted even after the polls closed, raising fresh concerns about post-election stability in the country.
