Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has accused President Yoweri Museveni’s regime of responding to his generation’s political threat with a brutal crackdown, characterized by extrajudicial killings, abductions, torture, and imprisonment.
“Our generation was the biggest threat to Gen. Museveni’s now 38-year hold onto power, and he responded with a massive crackdown,” Wine said in an exclusive interview with Newzroom Africa. “I don’t look at my plight in isolation of the rest, because if anything, I’ve been the luckiest. I’ve gone to prison, but I’ve been able to come back. I’ve been tortured, but I haven’t lost an eye or a limb.”
Wine, a musician-turned-politician, became the youngest opposition leader in Uganda in 2017, running against Museveni’s long-standing regime. Since then, he has faced numerous run-ins with authorities, which he believes are attempts to deter him from running for the presidency.
“Most of my friends don’t have teeth or eyes. Many were taken away never to be seen again,” Wine lamented, highlighting the regime’s brutality. “It has been a crackdown not on just me, but an entire generation.”
Through his partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Wine examines how the youth vote is changing African politics and promotes women’s participation in public leadership. “We need to empower the youth and women to take charge of their destiny,” he emphasized.
Wine remains the leader of the official opposition in Uganda, advocating for human rights and criticizing the government’s suppression of political dissent. His interview with Newsroom Africa offers a candid insight into his experiences and his vision for a more democratic and inclusive Uganda.
The full interview, available on YouTube, provides a powerful and unflinching glimpse into the struggles and sacrifices of Uganda’s opposition movement.
