Tension In Uganda: Soldiers Force Presidential Candidate Into Helicopter

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was forcibly removed from his home on Friday and flown away in a military helicopter, his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has reported.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a general election marked by violence, repression, and a nationwide internet shutdown. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, had earlier said he was effectively under house arrest, with security forces surrounding his residence.

Late Friday, the NUP announced on X that soldiers landed a helicopter inside Wine’s compound and forcibly took him to an unknown location, adding that his personal security team was violently attacked during the operation.

The move comes as President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his nearly four-decade rule following a vote widely criticised by opposition groups and international observers for intimidation, repression, and severe communication restrictions.

As counting continued, Uganda’s Electoral Commission reported that Museveni had won 73.7% of the vote, while Wine received 22.7%, with about 81% of ballots tallied. Final results were expected by 1300 GMT on Saturday.

During the election, authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout, drawing condemnation from rights groups and international election observers.

Wine, 43, a former pop star turned politician, has emerged as Museveni’s most prominent challenger, earning the nickname “Ghetto President” due to his upbringing in Kampala’s underprivileged neighborhoods.

Reports of deadly violence involving opposition supporters also surfaced across the country. Muwanga Kivumbi, a NUP lawmaker from Butambala district, alleged that security forces killed 10 of his campaign agents during a raid on his home. He claimed the victims were hiding in his garage when troops opened fire and that the military then removed evidence of the killings, leaving only “a pool of blood.”

Ugandan police, however, offered a different account. Spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe said security forces intercepted a group of NUP operatives allegedly planning to attack a vote tally center and police station. She stated that an unspecified number were “put out of action” and 25 individuals were arrested for malicious damage to property.

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