President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has accused supporters of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, of engaging in violence, looting and staging artificial crowds during political activities, claims the opposition leader has strongly denied.
In his end-of-year message, Museveni said he had received multiple reports alleging that gangs linked to Kyagulanyi were attacking members of the public as the campaign period intensifies.
“I have been busy campaigning, but I have heard that gangs of Mr Kyagulanyi have been beating people,” Museveni said. “I have heard this myself from people who have fallen victim to these atrocities.”
The President further accused Kyagulanyi’s camp of using what he described as “mobile audiences” to inflate the appearance of popular support at rallies. He cited the arrest of some of Kyagulanyi’s supporters in Mbarara as evidence.
“Supporters of Mr Kyagulanyi that were arrested at Mile 4 in Mbarara confessed that they had a fleet of 200 vehicles that transported nomadic audiences to create the image of big crowds at the venue,” Museveni said.
Museveni also warned against what he termed the commercialisation of politics, arguing that leaders motivated by personal gain pose a threat to national stability.
“When you see political positions as a source of income, you become a problem for your country,” he said. “In 1971, we left well-paying jobs to fight Idi Amin, who threatened our vision of patriotism and democracy.”
Referring to regional unrest and youth-led protests, the President claimed that alleged plans for violent demonstrations similar to recent events in Kenya were thwarted after some opposition supporters rejected them.
“Do you remember the Taja Kulayila and Gen Z riots like those in Kenya? These were rejected by Mr Kyagulanyi’s supporters, who joined us and peacefully ended those plans,” Museveni said.
He added that he had personally spoken to victims of alleged looting by Kyagulanyi’s supporters, including during a recent visit to Abim District.
“I have heard that the mobile audiences of Mr Kyagulanyi have been looting people in some cases. I last heard of the attacks on people I talked to myself in Abim,” Museveni said.
In response, Kyagulanyi dismissed the accusations as baseless and accused the President of relying on misleading intelligence while projecting his own conduct onto the opposition.
“I pity Mr Museveni, who’s fed on false intelligence,” Kyagulanyi said. “He’s now accusing us of the very things he does.”
The NUP leader further alleged that it is the ruling establishment that ferries people to rallies and restricts their movement.
“We all know he ferries people to his campaign rallies, including school kids, and even blocks them from leaving until he’s done speaking,” Kyagulanyi said.
The exchange underscores the growing political tensions as campaigns intensify, with both sides trading accusations of misconduct, manipulation and violence ahead of the next phase of the electoral process.
