Opposition Leader Bobi Wine Says He Fled Uganda After Disputed Election

KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan guidance leader Bobi Wine said Saturday that he fled nan state to flight a subject hunt for him successful nan aftermath of a disputed statesmanlike election.

Wine, whose existent sanction is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, went into hiding soon aft nan Jan. 15 statesmanlike election, successful which he was nan guidance candidate. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni won nan predetermination pinch 71.6% of nan vote, according to charismatic results that Wine rejects arsenic fake.

Wine’s location has been chartless to nan wide nationalist for weeks, pinch increasing interest for his information aft nan service chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, many times posted threats against him connected nan societal level X.

Kainerugaba, nan president’s boy and presumptive heir, has suggested that Wine is wanted for unspecified crimes. Ugandan constabulary opportunity they are not looking for him.

In a video connection posted connected X connected Saturday, an unshaven Wine said he managed to time off Uganda but did not uncover wherever he went.

“Fellow Ugandans and friends of Uganda each complete nan world, by nan clip you spot this video I will person near nan state for immoderate captious engagements extracurricular Uganda,” he said. “And astatine nan correct clip I will travel backmost and proceed pinch nan cause. I convey each of you chap Ugandans who person concealed and protected maine for each this clip erstwhile nan authorities was looking for me.”

He said it was intolerable for Ugandan information operatives to find him “because nan group person protected me.”

Ugandan soldiers raided Wine’s location nan time aft nan Jan. 15 vote, but nan guidance leader had already gone into hiding, fearing for his life aft campaigning for weeks successful a helmet and flak overgarment astatine rallies wherever information forces were a changeless presence.

The hunt for Wine is being led by Kainerugaba, who has called Wine a “baboon” and a “terrorist.” Kainerugaba has for years posted violative societal media messages, which he often deletes later.

Wine, nan astir salient of 7 candidates who ran against Museveni, has a ample pursuing among young group successful municipality areas, galore of them unemployed aliases angry pinch nan authorities complete charismatic corruption and nan deficiency of economical opportunities. Many want to spot governmental alteration aft 4 decades of nan aforesaid leader.

In May, nan 81-year-old Museveni will beryllium sworn successful for a seventh word that would bring him person to 5 decades successful power.

His supporters in installments him for nan comparative bid and stableness that person made Uganda location to hundreds of thousands fleeing unit elsewhere successful this portion of Africa. But guidance figures, including immoderate who antecedently were his adjacent allies, condemn what they spot arsenic a descent into authoritarianism.

Muhumuza writes for nan Associated Press.