Self-evacuated Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has demanded that the military immediately vacate his home, accusing polic and UPDF soldiers of intimidation and threats to his family, after a string of inflammatory tweets by President Museveni’s powerful son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, triggered a fresh political storm following the disputed presidential election.
In a post on X on Tuesday morning, Bobi Wine said soldiers stationed at his residence had banged on doors overnight, hurled insults and blocked food supplies, hours after Muhoozi issued a 48-hour ultimatum ordering him to surrender to security forces.
‘Last night as Museveni’s son was making these threats to kill me and gloating over killing 22 of our supporters (in reality, he has killed over 100 since last week). We demand that the military vacate our home immediately. My wife and people are not safe. They’re starving after these criminals blocked food from reaching them. They cut the padlocks of our gates and replaced them with chains,’ Bobi Wine, who is in hiding, wrote.
He added that the soldiers appeared intoxicated, saying: ‘The people at my home say the criminals seemed to be drunk.’
A secretly filmed Monday news report by Buganda Kingdom-owned BBS Television suggested that drones-maintained patrols over his residence in Magere, Wakiso District, while on-ground security forces kept a heavy armed guard around the property, restricting access to supplies and visitors, including NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya.
The opposition leader’s reaction also followed a barage of posts by Gen Muhoozi, Uganda’s army chief, who late Monday night made multiple provocative statements targeting the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) and its leader.
In a post on his verified X account, which has over one million followers, Gen Muhoozi claimed: ‘We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week. I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi.’
In another, he issued a direct ultimatum stating: ‘As for Kabobi, the permanent loser, 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.’
The army chief also declared: ‘I, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, am a prophet of Almighty God. Now I tell you that NUP will be removed and extinguished from our land like a bad dream!’
During his Sunday victory speech, Museveni alleged that the opposition planned ‘panga-terror’ attacks in areas where they lost. The opposition has denied the claim, with Bobi Wine previously saying the president is fed ‘fake intelligence given his age.’
‘I will resurface when I decide’
The posts, which also included statements praising the Ugandan, Rwandan, and Israeli militaries and reaffirming ties with Rwanda, sparked outrage online and renewed concerns about the militarization of Uganda’s politics.
Bobi Wine said the threats were linked to his escape from his heavily guarded home over the weekend, after security forces surrounded the property following the election.
‘You ordered the raid on my house to harm me! I beat you at your own game and escaped,’ he wrote late Monday, noting: ‘Anyway, I will resurface when I decide. Then you and your father can do whatever you want to me.’
Bobi Wine added. ‘But make no mistake – YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE THE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ATROCITIES AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA. THIS IS OUR COUNTRY!’
Military policy?
The confrontation comes days after the Electoral Commission declared Museveni, 81, the winner of last week’s contested presidential election with 7,946,772 votes, representing 71.65 percent of ballots cast, securing a seventh five-year term.
Bobi Wine, his closest challenger, received 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72 percent. The opposition leader has strongly rejected the results, citing widespread irregularities, violence, and an intense security crackdown. The government and electoral authorities deny wrongdoing.
Gen Muhoozi’s comments, not for the first time, have intensified scrutiny of the army’s role in security operations, amid rising political tension in Uganda. State officials have previously indicated that his statements do not necessarily reflect government or military policy.