Museveni Plans To Abduct Bobi Wine

The National Unity Platform (NUP) diaspora chapter in Canada, led by Doreen Kajumba, has raised alarm over what it calls “looming threats” against the party president Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), warning that President Yoweri Museveni’s regime could move to arrest him again as part of an intensifying crackdown on opposition voices.

Kajumba and her team point to a wave of abductions targeting NUP supporters across Uganda, carried out in unmarked “drone” vans by heavily armed men. Victims are frequently detained incommunicado, tortured, and released after weeks — while others remain missing.

Fears of Arrest and Repression

“NUP leaders and supporters strongly believe that Bobi Wine himself remains at great risk of arrest or abduction,” Kajumba said during a recent diaspora briefing. She added that Museveni’s government has a history of detaining him at politically sensitive moments.

Timeline of Bobi Wine’s Arrests and Detentions

• August 2018 (Arua By-Election):
  Bobi Wine was arrested after violence erupted during a parliamentary by-election in Arua. He was brutally beaten while in military custody. International doctors later confirmed serious injuries consistent with torture. His arrest sparked global condemnation and protests.

• April 2019:
  He was arrested in Kampala for organising what authorities called “unlawful assemblies.” Supporters reported violent dispersal of his rallies.

• November 2020 (Presidential Campaign):
  During his presidential campaign, Bobi Wine was arrested in Luuka District while addressing supporters. Protests erupted across the country, and security forces opened fire, killing more than 50 people.

• January 2021 (General Election):
  Following the presidential election, Bobi Wine was placed under de facto house arrest. His residence in Magere was sealed off by security forces for over a week, cutting him off from media, supporters, and lawyers. Foreign diplomats were denied access to him.

• September 2022:
  On return from a trip abroad, Bobi Wine was detained at Entebbe Airport, held briefly, and then released under unclear circumstances.

This record, NUP argues, shows a systematic campaign of repression that could escalate again at any moment.

Uganda’s Human Rights Record

Uganda’s human-rights situation remains under sharp scrutiny. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have repeatedly cited the government for arbitrary arrests, torture of detainees, restrictions on political rallies, and suppression of free expression.

Kajumba said the regime’s poor human-rights track record underscores the urgency of international intervention:

“We are seeing the same script repeating itself — abductions of our members, torture of activists, and now renewed threats against our president. The world cannot stay silent.”

The NUP diaspora in Canada has organised rallies and campaigns urging Canada, the U.S., and European governments to take stronger action, including sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Protesters in September’s global diaspora demonstrations demanded accountability for abductions and protection for opposition leaders.

As fears grow that Bobi Wine may once again be arrested, Kajumba said the diaspora will intensify its advocacy:

“Our duty is to amplify the voices of the oppressed. If Bobi Wine is silenced, then millions of Ugandans are silenced with him.”

Related