Tension escalated in Uganda on Friday after opposition leader Bobi Wine was arrested by security forces and taken away in an army helicopter, a day after voting concluded in a highly controversial general election.
Bobi Wine, a popular musician-turned-politician and the main challenger to long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, was forcibly removed from his residence in Kampala following hours of heavy security presence around his home. Earlier, Wine had said he was under de facto house arrest as police blocked access to his residence.
His party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), later confirmed that soldiers arrived by helicopter, landed inside his compound, and took him to an undisclosed location. The party alleged that Wine’s private security personnel were violently assaulted during the operation.
The arrest occurred amid an internet shutdown and growing international concern over the credibility of the election, which Museveni hopes will extend his rule beyond four decades. Final results were expected on Saturday.
Reports of violence against opposition supporters also emerged from other parts of the country. Muwanga Kivumbi, a lawmaker from Wine’s party representing the Butambala constituency, told journalists that security forces stormed his home and killed 10 of his campaign aides.
According to Kivumbi and his wife, Zahara Nampewo, a law professor, the victims were hiding in a garage when security personnel opened fire. Kivumbi alleged that soldiers later removed the bodies, leaving behind only bloodstains.
“These actions are meant to terrorise and silence the opposition,” Kivumbi said.
Preliminary results released by Uganda’s Electoral Commission showed President Museveni leading with more than 75 percent of votes counted from 59 percent of polling stations. Bobi Wine was reported to be in second place with about 21 percent, while other candidates shared the remaining votes.
Although voting day itself was described as largely calm, the campaign period was marked by violent clashes, arrests of opposition figures, and what the United Nations described as widespread repression and intimidation.
The arrest of Bobi Wine has further intensified fears over the safety of opposition leaders and the transparency of Uganda’s electoral process.
