Ugandan Pop Star Bobi Wine Cleared to Challenge Aging Incumbent Again

Ugandan opposition leader, pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, was cleared on Wednesday to stand for president, pitting him against Yoweri Museveni for a second time during a career in which he has been arrested and jailed multiple times for his opposition to the long-serving incumbent.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, first challenged Museveni in the 2021 polls but came in second place.

The 43-year-old however rejected the results and said his victory had been stolen through pre-ticked ballots, intimidation by security forces, falsification of results and voter bribery.

Museveni, 81, who has ruled the east African country since 1986, was cleared to seek another term on Tuesday. If he wins, his rule will span nearly half a century.

“Our country is one of the richest countries on the planet in terms of natural resources so…our problem is not lack of wealth,” Wine said after he was declared a candidate by the electoral body’s top official in the capital Kampala.

“Our problem is lack of leadership, leadership that serves the people instead of terrorising them and exploiting them.”

Kyagulanyi’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has over the years decried what they say is continuous kidnapping, illegal detention and torture of its supporters and officials by Museveni’s government.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and head of the military, in January threatened to behead to Wine.

In May, Muhoozi also admitted to confining a missing NUP official in his basement and also threatened violence against him.

Dozens of NUP supporters and officials have spent months and years in prison over what Wine and others say are politically motivated charges.

The government has rejected accusations it has kidnapped and tortured opposition members and says security forces only detain people based on legitimate suspicions a crime has been committed.

“We are fighting for a better Uganda, we are fighting for the farmers…for the young graduates who have no jobs, we are fighting for the ghetto people, those ghetto youth whose future is being stolen,” Wine said.

Nicknamed “Ghetto President” for his popularity in a large ghetto in the capital and where his music career initially took off in early 2000s, Wine says he is best placed to address the needs of Uganda’s large youth population since he is one of them.