Ugandan opposition leader tells BBC he fled abroad fearing for his life

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine told the BBC he fled the country after January's disputed election because he feared for his life, saying that 'the regime wanted to eliminate me.'

“- Published Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has told the BBC that he left the country after January's disputed election because he feared for his life”

BBC

He spoke to Newshour from an undisclosed location after two months in hiding, and cited a video posted on X in which he repeated his claim that the election had been rigged in favour of President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.

BBC

Museveni, 81, won with 72% of the vote.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, said supporters had sheltered him during his hiding, giving him food, clothing and everything else.

Wine said Museveni had tried 'many times' to have him killed and that the president's son had 'made it clearer without any filters'.

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who heads Uganda's military, said Wine was 'wanted dead or alive' and threatened to castrate him; those messages have since been deleted from his X account.

Some government members denied that security forces were looking for him, and the BBC asked the police for comment.

BBC

Wine said that even if he's outside Uganda, he is not safe because the regime is able to pursue its political enemies wherever they are, and he could not give details of how or when he left to avoid endangering those who helped him.

His family had left 'long before me,' but he voiced fears for those in his party, including his deputy, Lina Zedriga, whom he named as his temporary successor.

Wine's video on X, posted on Saturday, was his first public appearance in weeks and he called for targeted international sanctions against Museveni.

“- Published Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has told the BBC that he left the country after January's disputed election because he feared for his life”

BBC

He alleged that authorities had repeatedly raided the homes of his supporters looking for him, including as recently as Thursday, and had set up roadblocks around the country.

He said his house in Kampala was still surrounded by the military, as it has been since election day.

Following protests against the election results, Kainerugaba said that 30 'terrorists' from Wine's party had been killed.

Additional reporting by Richard Kagoe.

BBC