Kasangati – Opposition supporters, families of political prisoners, and religious leaders gathered at the Kasangati home of jailed opposition veteran Dr Kizza Besigye on Sunday for a special prayer meeting ahead of Uganda’s general elections on January 15.
The prayers were aimed at calling for the release of political detainees and advocating for peaceful elections. The event also marked a symbolic show of support from Besigye to Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu), the leading opposition candidate challenging President Yoweri Museveni.
Bobi Wine described the gathering as “a very special day” and expressed gratitude for Besigye’s support. “Above all, we are grateful to Dr Kizza Besigye for sending us a message of encouragement and hope,” he said. “Despite being in prison, he sent us a generous financial contribution towards the last lap of our campaigns. For this, we’re very grateful.”
The musician-turned-politician praised the families of political prisoners for their resilience: “In my communication, I appreciated the families of the political prisoners for being very resilient and for doing everything possible to keep pressuring the regime to free their people. In unity, we shall overcome every obstacle on our path to freedom.”
Besigye, detained on treason charges and unable to campaign personally, fundraised from friends and instructed his wife, Winnie Byanyima, to deliver an undisclosed sum of money to Bobi Wine. Byanyima relayed a message from her husband, calling on supporters to stay steadfast despite the challenges of confronting a leader who has been in power for 40 years.
“It was a deeply moving afternoon, standing with families whose loved ones were violently abducted, disappeared, or indefinitely and unlawfully imprisoned,” Byanyima said. She thanked opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine, Barbie Itungo, and David Rubongoya, for “holding hands in resistance to state-sponsored violence and impunity under the NRM government.”
In response, Bobi Wine presented Byanyima with a portrait of Besigye, inscribed with the words: “Change is inevitable. Sooner or later, Ugandans will take charge of their destiny and rebuild their country in a way that ensures equal opportunity for everyone.” He called the gesture both a financial boost and a powerful moral encouragement for his campaign.
Observers note that the act bridges past tensions between Besigye and Bobi Wine, once seen as rivals in the opposition space. Analysts say it signals growing unity among Uganda’s opposition ahead of a highly contested election, amid reports of arrests, disruptions to opposition activities, and heightened security.
As voting day approaches, supporters say their prayers, and Besigye’s symbolic endorsement underscores the enduring struggle for change and the call for peaceful civic engagement.
