WIREDGOV

Uganda’s leadership is drifting into another authoritarian spiral.

Three weeks after Uganda’s highly compromised election allowed Yoweri Museveni to retain power, the leader of the opposition National Unity Platform, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (widely known as Bobi Wine), is on the run while his wife has endured humiliating intimidation by security forces.

Barbie Kyagulanyi has told how she had her clothes torn from her body and was assaulted and subjected to abusive interrogation in her home as dozens of security thugs surrounded her and demanded she reveal the whereabouts of her husband.

Wine said in an interview from hiding in Uganda, ‘The Chief of the Defence Force, who is the son of the man I ran against, is saying he is going to kill me. He has said it before, and he has killed.’

Wine said of the security force invasion of his house during which his wife was assaulted, ‘they stole all our money, they took our bank cards, all our academic documents, all our land title deeds.’

Wine’s fears are real. Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is taking over the running of Uganda from his ageing father. His behaviour is frighteningly reminiscent of that of a previous Ugandan tyrant, Idi Amin, with a modern twist – he openly broadcasts his intention to kill and maim opponents on social media.

Before the election, Muhoozi blasted on X his threats to behead Wine and hang Dr Kizza Besigye, who is on trial for treason before a farcical ‘military tribunal’. Muhoozi, backed by his Patriotic League of Uganda, is manoeuvring to take power. The 51-year-old army chief has boasted on X that he would castrate Wine and kill more of his father’s opponents. Claiming that 22 NUP supporters had already been killed, he added, ‘I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,’ in reference to Wine. He later enthusiastically reported that 30 members of the opposition had been killed since the January 15 election.

His Excellency President for Life Dr Idi Amin Dada represents an unfortunate image of a post-colonial African leader, a caricature understandably hated by most respectable citizens, a violent, ignorant thug intent on staying in power and reaping its rewards at any price.

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