Kiongozi wa upinzani nchini Uganda, Robert Kyagulanyi, maarufu kama Bobi Wine, ametangaza kuwa ataitisha maandamano ya nchi nzima ikiwa Rais Yoweri Museveni ataiba kura katika uchaguzi mkuu uliopangwa kufanyika Alhamisi ya wiki hii.
Akizungumza na shirika la habari la AFP nyumbani kwake jijini Kampala jana Jumatatu, Januari 12, 2026, Wine (43) amesema kuwa wananchi hawapaswi kusubiri maelekezo yake pindi watakapoona demokrasia yao inachezewa. Amesema kuwa ingawa anafahamu serikali ya Museveni hujibu malalamiko kwa nguvu na ukatili, anaamini kuwa hata tawala za kidikteta zinaweza kuangushwa na nguvu ya umma.
"Kama Jenerali Museveni ataiba uchaguzi huu, tutaitisha maandamano. Tumewaambia wananchi wasisubiri hata maagizo yetu," amesema Wine huku akisisitiza kuwa maandamano hayo yanapaswa kuwa ya amani ili kuushinda ukatili wa vyombo vya dola.
Aidha, akirejea matukio ya hivi karibuni ambapo Marekani iliingilia kati na kumkamata Rais wa Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, Bobi Wine amesema angekaribisha uingiliaji kati wa aina hiyo kutoka kwa Rais Donald Trump ikiwa utasaidia kuikomboa Uganda.
"Ndiyo, ningekaribisha (uingiliaji kati wa Marekani). Naamini msaada wowote unaokuja upande wetu ni wa manufaa. Hata hivyo, msaada huo usiwe wa kuimiliki nchi yetu; ninaamini kabisa kuwa jukumu la kuikomboa na kuiongoza Uganda liko mikononi mwa Waganda wenyewe," amefafanua kiongozi huyo.
Uchaguzi huu unakuja wakati kukiwa na mivutano ya kisiasa kote Afrika Mashariki, huku vijana wakipinga kuminywa kwa demokrasia na ukosefu wa ajira nchini Kenya, Tanzania na kwingineko.
Mashirika ya kimataifa kama Umoja wa Mataifa na Amnesty International yameishutumu Uganda kwa ukandamizaji, ikiwemo kukamatwa kwa mamia ya wafuasi wa Bobi Wine kuelekea siku ya upigaji kura ambapo watu zaidi ya milioni 20 wamejiandikisha.
Rais Museveni (81), ambaye amekuwa madarakani kwa miongo minne, anatarajiwa na wachambuzi wengi kuendelea kushikilia hatamu kutokana na udhibiti wake mkubwa wa vyombo vya dola na usalama.
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More than 20 million people are registered to vote in the east African country on Thursday, with 81-year-old Museveni widely expected to continue his four-decade rule thanks to his near-total control of the state and security apparatus.
His main opponent is singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, 43 -- real name Robert Kyagulanyi -- who is taking a second run at the presidency after his 2021 campaign was met with violent repression and alleged rigging.
"If General Museveni rigs the election, we shall call for protests," Wine told AFP at his home in the capital Kampala.
"We've told the people not to wait for our instruction," he added.
The United Nations and Amnesty International are among the watchdogs accusing Uganda's government of repression ahead of the polls, including hundreds of arrests of Wine's supporters.
There has been increasing political unrest across east Africa as the region's youthful population protests the erosion of democracy and lack of jobs in Kenya, Tanzania and beyond.
Wine acknowledged that protests were likely to provoke more crackdown.
"I know that General Museveni's government responds to everything with violence... But I also know that even violent regimes get thrown out by protests," he told AFP.
Source: AFP
Akizungumza na shirika la habari la AFP nyumbani kwake jijini Kampala jana Jumatatu, Januari 12, 2026, Wine (43) amesema kuwa wananchi hawapaswi kusubiri maelekezo yake pindi watakapoona demokrasia yao inachezewa. Amesema kuwa ingawa anafahamu serikali ya Museveni hujibu malalamiko kwa nguvu na ukatili, anaamini kuwa hata tawala za kidikteta zinaweza kuangushwa na nguvu ya umma.
"Kama Jenerali Museveni ataiba uchaguzi huu, tutaitisha maandamano. Tumewaambia wananchi wasisubiri hata maagizo yetu," amesema Wine huku akisisitiza kuwa maandamano hayo yanapaswa kuwa ya amani ili kuushinda ukatili wa vyombo vya dola.
Aidha, akirejea matukio ya hivi karibuni ambapo Marekani iliingilia kati na kumkamata Rais wa Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, Bobi Wine amesema angekaribisha uingiliaji kati wa aina hiyo kutoka kwa Rais Donald Trump ikiwa utasaidia kuikomboa Uganda.
"Ndiyo, ningekaribisha (uingiliaji kati wa Marekani). Naamini msaada wowote unaokuja upande wetu ni wa manufaa. Hata hivyo, msaada huo usiwe wa kuimiliki nchi yetu; ninaamini kabisa kuwa jukumu la kuikomboa na kuiongoza Uganda liko mikononi mwa Waganda wenyewe," amefafanua kiongozi huyo.
Uchaguzi huu unakuja wakati kukiwa na mivutano ya kisiasa kote Afrika Mashariki, huku vijana wakipinga kuminywa kwa demokrasia na ukosefu wa ajira nchini Kenya, Tanzania na kwingineko.
Mashirika ya kimataifa kama Umoja wa Mataifa na Amnesty International yameishutumu Uganda kwa ukandamizaji, ikiwemo kukamatwa kwa mamia ya wafuasi wa Bobi Wine kuelekea siku ya upigaji kura ambapo watu zaidi ya milioni 20 wamejiandikisha.
Rais Museveni (81), ambaye amekuwa madarakani kwa miongo minne, anatarajiwa na wachambuzi wengi kuendelea kushikilia hatamu kutokana na udhibiti wake mkubwa wa vyombo vya dola na usalama.
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More than 20 million people are registered to vote in the east African country on Thursday, with 81-year-old Museveni widely expected to continue his four-decade rule thanks to his near-total control of the state and security apparatus.
His main opponent is singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, 43 -- real name Robert Kyagulanyi -- who is taking a second run at the presidency after his 2021 campaign was met with violent repression and alleged rigging.
"If General Museveni rigs the election, we shall call for protests," Wine told AFP at his home in the capital Kampala.
"We've told the people not to wait for our instruction," he added.
The United Nations and Amnesty International are among the watchdogs accusing Uganda's government of repression ahead of the polls, including hundreds of arrests of Wine's supporters.
There has been increasing political unrest across east Africa as the region's youthful population protests the erosion of democracy and lack of jobs in Kenya, Tanzania and beyond.
Wine acknowledged that protests were likely to provoke more crackdown.
"I know that General Museveni's government responds to everything with violence... But I also know that even violent regimes get thrown out by protests," he told AFP.
Source: AFP
