Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was taken from his home by army helicopter on Friday, his party said, as President Yoweri Museveni closed in on a landslide re-election. The National Unity Platform (NUP) party posted on X that he was 'forcibly taken away to an unknown destination.' The claim could not be immediately verified, and government and military spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment.
Earlier on Friday, NUP member Muwanga Kivumbi said security forces stormed his house and shot dead ten members of his campaign team. Kivumbi told Reuters that at about 3am local time, security forces 'broke the front door and began shooting' inside a garage where people were waiting for election results. His wife, professor Zahara Nampewo, said she saw 'fresh bodies' and that the army later took them away.
Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe said she was unaware of the incident at Kivumbi's house, alleging instead that opposition 'goons' had attacked a police station and vote-tallying centre, forcing security to shoot in self-defence. She said an unspecified number of people were 'put out of action' and 25 arrested. Wine condemned the incident and called for resistance, having earlier alleged mass fraud in Thursday's election held under an internet blackout.
The election took place amid widespread repression, with the UN noting intimidation and clashes at opposition rallies. Analysts viewed the outcome as a formality, given Museveni's total control over the state. As of Friday evening, the electoral commission reported Museveni with nearly 74% of the vote to Wine's 23%, with final results due by 2am GMT on Saturday.
