Luweero — National Unity Platform (NUP) president and 2026 presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, received a large and enthusiastic welcome in Luweero District on Tuesday as he continued his campaign tour marked by sharp criticism of the Uganda Police Force and the electoral environment.
Bobi Wine, who described the entry into Luweero as “electric,” said no level of intimidation would deter his supporters or derail what he calls a nationwide push for political change.
“No amount of violence and threats can break the spirit of change,” he declared while sharing footage of crowds cheering his convoy. “This is Luweero.”
Earlier in the day, NUP opened new party offices in Bamunanika before the team proceeded to a rally in Zirobwe, where Kyagulanyi addressed thousands of supporters.
“They have made it clear they are ready for a New Uganda,” he said. “The protest vote is real, and the people are prepared.”
Criticism of Police Conduct
Kyagulanyi also used the day’s events to respond to comments made by Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba, who recently accused NUP of flouting campaign guidelines, holding illegal processions, and provoking security forces.
Bobi Wine rejected the allegations, calling them “blatant lies” meant to justify police brutality.
“I have always preached non-violence in all my campaign messages, and that alone debunks the claims that we provoke the police,” he told journalists before leaving for Luweero. “Everything we do is captured on camera. The police use barricades to waste our time and disrupt our movement, yet regime candidates campaign at night without interruption.”
Kyagulanyi also accused the police of double standards, pointing to recent events in Mbarara. “Just yesterday, Mr Museveni held a procession with police trucks ferrying people and even blocking roads,” he said. “But they will never mention that.”
Concerns Over Armed, Masked Security Personnel
Bobi Wine further criticised security deployments seen during his rally in Kira Municipality a day earlier, where officers with covered faces and heavy weaponry were visible.
“Why deploy individuals whose faces are covered to manage civilian affairs?” he asked. “They hide their faces because they know what they are commanded to do is criminal and wrong.”
He added that neither IGP Byakagaba nor Electoral Commission chairperson Simon Byabakama has acted to address what he termed a pattern of “criminality and abuse of power.”
“This Is Not a War — It Is an Election”
Kyagulanyi said the intense militarisation of the campaign trail shows the government’s fear of public dissent. “You may think this is a war situation — but it is a presidential election in Uganda,” he wrote. “Museveni and his regime are afraid of the people. But the people will win in the end.”
Background
The Luweero Triangle, historically tied to President Yoweri Museveni’s 1980s guerrilla war, remains symbolically significant ahead of the 2026 general elections. Bobi Wine’s strong reception there underscores the heated political landscape as Uganda heads toward a contentious vote.
