Bobi Wine has gone into hiding after contesting the result of Uganda's presidential election, in which Yoweri Museveni was declared winner for a seventh term. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba posted on X that security forces have killed 22 members of the opposition and said he hoped the next would be Bobi Wine. Wine told Al Jazeera he has evidence of ballot manipulation and described a post-election crackdown intended to intimidate and silence opponents. The Electoral Commission declined to comment and the army denies raiding Wine's home.
Uganda Election Fallout: Museveni’s Son Issues Death Threat Against Opposition Leader Bobi Wine
Uganda opposition leader and National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine (second from right), arrives to casts his ballot in Kampala on January 15, 2026, during Uganda's 2026 general elections [Rian Cope/AFP]
The son of Uganda’s re-elected president, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has publicly threatened to kill opposition leader and singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine after a disputed election that President Yoweri Museveni was declared to have won for a seventh term.
Kainerugaba posted the threat on the social platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, days after Museveni, 81, was announced the victor in an election that the opposition has labelled a "sham" amid allegations of vote-rigging.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Bobi Wine said he holds "evidence" of electoral malpractice, including videos that allegedly show election officials filling in ballot papers in favour of Museveni. A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission of Uganda declined to comment to Al Jazeera about those claims.
On X, Kainerugaba wrote: “We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week,” referring to members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), which Wine leads and which came second in the vote. He added: “I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” using a nickname for Bobi Wine.
“I’m giving him exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the Police. If he doesn’t we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly,” Kainerugaba wrote in a separate post.
Wine has said he went into hiding after security forces allegedly raided his home and attempted to capture him. The Uganda People’s Defence Force has denied involvement in such raids, and Wine’s exact whereabouts have been unknown since Saturday.
In his Al Jazeera interview, Wine explained his decision to stay away from home as an effort to remain accessible to international media: “If I was in my house, you would not be able to access me.” He also pushed back against being labelled a "terrorist," arguing that authoritarian regimes often brand political challengers as criminals to stifle dissent.
Context and concerns: The exchange underscores rising tensions following the vote: opposition allegations of fraud, threats from high-ranking figures, and claims of intimidation and arrests of young supporters. International observers and rights groups have warned that such developments raise the risk of further political violence and a tightening of repression in Uganda.
What officials say: The Electoral Commission declined to comment to Al Jazeera about the fraud allegations. Uganda's military has denied conducting raids on Wine's home. Independent verification of the videos and claims is pending.
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