Uganda's Bobi Wine Claims Escape from Raid on His Home Amid Disputed Election

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has alleged that he escaped a raid on his home by police and army forces during a presidential election that saw incumbent Yoweri Museveni declared the winner. “I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them,” Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. “Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know these criminals are searching for me everywhere, and I am doing my best to stay safe.”

Wine’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), had earlier claimed that he was "forcibly taken" from his residence by an army helicopter, a claim denied by the Ugandan military. The opposition leader had been Museveni’s main challenger in a campaign marred by allegations of widespread repression and intimidation, which the United Nations also condemned.

Museveni, 81, was declared the winner by Uganda’s election commission on Saturday, extending his nearly four-decade rule. The election has been criticized for reports of at least 10 deaths, as well as intimidation directed at opposition members and civil society groups.

Bobi Wine has rejected the election results, accusing the government of ballot stuffing and the unlawful detention of other NUP leaders. The disputed vote has further highlighted tensions in a country where Museveni’s rule has increasingly been met with opposition from younger generations