Uganda Army Chief Threatens Opposition Leader After Contested Election
Kampala, Uganda – Tensions in Uganda have escalated dramatically following the country’s recent presidential election, with the army chief and son of the incumbent president publicly threatening the life of opposition leader Bobi Wine and vowing to kill his supporters.
President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, was declared the winner of the January 15 election with 71.65% of the vote. His main challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine and leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), received 24.72%. Wine has forcefully rejected the results, calling them rigged, and called for peaceful protests.
The political crisis has taken a violent and personal turn, centered on Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and the Commander of the Ugandan Land Forces. In a series of posts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kainerugaba has issued graphic threats against the opposition.
“We will kill on sight all NUP so called ‘Foot Soldiers’. Until Mzee [a respectful term for Museveni] says otherwise,” Kainerugaba posted. In another post, he stated, “We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week. I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” using a derogatory nickname for Bobi Wine.
He further boasted about the violence, posting: “Personally, I’m embarrassed by our record. 22 killed in one week is too low. I promise to do better.”
Kainerugaba directly addressed Bobi Wine, 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.”
Opposition Leader in Hiding, Family Under Siege
Bobi Wine is currently in hiding after what he described as a military raid on his home. In an interview with Al Jazeera from an undisclosed location, he revealed the dire personal toll.
“I am alive; I don’t know how my family is. I would love to be in my home. I have not changed my clothes in days,” Wine said. He accused security forces of a crackdown “to intimidate, silence, and subdue the forces of change.”
In a post on X, Wine detailed ongoing harassment at his compound, alleging that the military stationed there banged on his doors, sang profanities, and blocked food from reaching his wife and others inside. He stated that the gates had been chained shut by security operatives.
Disputed Casualty Figures and International Condemnation
Casualty figures from the post-election period are heavily contested. While police reports acknowledge seven deaths, Bobi Wine claims over 100 of his supporters have been killed. Kainerugaba’s posts reference 22 deaths.
The army chief’s rhetoric has drawn sharp international criticism. Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo directly challenged him on X: “Muhoozi, why are you bragging about killing Ugandans who support the opposition? Is it because you’re protected by your father, President Museveni?”
Human rights groups have condemned the statements, warning they risk inciting extrajudicial killings. The situation is further marred by reports of internet blackouts and widespread voter intimidation during the election period.
In his posts, Kainerugaba also made grandiose religious claims, calling himself “a prophet of Almighty God” and vowing that the NUP would be “removed and extinguished from our land like a bad dream.”
The standoff presents a severe test for Uganda’s democracy. With the army chief openly threatening the opposition leader and his supporters, and the political leader in hiding while his family is besieged, the path to a peaceful resolution appears increasingly uncertain. The international community watches as the East African nation grapples with its most serious political crisis in years.
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