Ugandan police on Friday confirmed that at least one person was killed during a rally for opposition leader Bobi Wine in eastern Iganga town, marking the latest flashpoint of violence ahead of the January elections.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is the main challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking to extend his nearly 40-year rule.
The 43-year-old opposition figure has gained strong support among Uganda’s youth, positioning himself against an entrenched political establishment led by the 81-year-old president.
In a statement posted on X, the Uganda Police Force said security officers deployed to the rally “faced attacks, including stone-throwing incited by the candidate”. According to the statement, officers moved to disperse the crowds, during which “one civilian fatality occurred”.
Several people alleged to have taken part in the unrest were arrested.
The police condemned what it described as “hooliganism” and warned that confronting armed security personnel “poses grave risks” and would be met with firm action.
Bobi Wine strongly rejected the police account, accusing security forces of firing live ammunition at peaceful supporters after the rally had ended. “These criminals fired live bullets at peaceful people and killed at least one comrade and injured several others,” he said in a post on X.
He told AFP that his movement would continue pushing for change until “Museveni is out of power, regardless of how many people his partisan police and the army kills”.
Wine added that at least three other supporters were critically injured and were “fighting for their lives in hospital”.
The opposition leader has faced repeated arrests and has reported torture while in custody. His 2021 presidential bid was marred by allegations of vote tampering and widespread violence from security forces.
Tensions have been further inflamed by public threats from Museveni’s son, army chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has repeatedly made incendiary statements against Wine on social media.
Museveni’s campaign is focusing on preserving what it calls the “gains” of his long tenure and steering Uganda toward high middle-income status, even as nearly one in six Ugandans continues to live in poverty.
With election day approaching, rights groups and observers fear a wider escalation unless authorities rein in heavy-handed policing and ensure a peaceful campaign environment.
Source: AFP
Written By Rodney Mbua
