Uganda’s Electoral Commission has cleared Bobi Wine to run against longtime President Museveni in January, reigniting hopes and concerns over a fair contest.
Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has been cleared to run in the January presidential election, the Electoral Commission announced on Wednesday, reversing its earlier rejection of his submission.
Wine, a pop star-turned-politician, will once again face President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled since 1986 and is seeking a seventh term at the age of 81. In the 2021 election, Wine won 35 percent of the vote, while Museveni secured 58 percent, his lowest margin of victory. The disputed poll was marred by allegations of ballot stuffing, mass protests, and the deaths of at least 54 people.
Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) now leads the opposition in parliament, drawing much of its support from working-class urban communities. However, his supporters report intimidation, arrests, and abductions by security forces. Critics fear the upcoming vote may not be free or fair.