The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem Okello, has dismissed claims that former National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, was forced into exile or that his departure reflects a shrinking political space in Uganda.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Tuesday, Oryem described Kyagulanyi’s move as “political drama” intended to attract sympathy from Western audiences.
“What the international community and the general public should see in Bobi Wine is that he is not really a politician—he is an actor, and he thinks politics is a stage where he can act, and the star of the movie in the end survives and never dies,” he said.
“There is absolutely no substantive reason why Bobi Wine should have left the country; this is yet again just one big drama of his to seek sympathy from the gullible, and I repeat, gullible West.”
According to Oryem, the government considers the presidential elections held on January 15, 2026, to have been free and fair, with President Museveni declared winner with 71.65 percent of the total valid votes cast. Kyagulanyi, his closest challenger, garnered 2,741,238 votes, representing 24.72 percent.
“He lost the elections and now hopes to win the sympathies of the international community and gain power through the back door, which can never happen. If you want to become President, you should win the elections with more than 50+1 percent of the total vote, not through foreign sympathies,” Oryem said.
On whether Kyagulanyi’s departure signals a broader governance concern, Oryem argued that seeking support abroad was a flawed political strategy.
“If he had any genuine concerns, he should have sought remedies through the court of law, which he is fully aware are available and which he tested during the 2021 elections. Instead, he runs to people who do not cast votes in Uganda and have no interest in the country at heart,” he said.
Oryem added that Uganda would not be influenced by what he described as “neo-colonial” tendencies from Western actors.
While abroad, Kyagulanyi has indicated plans to engage the international community on governance issues in Uganda, efforts Oryem dismissed as inconsequential.
“It’s a shame that Bobi Wine is running all over the world to portray this country in a negative light, thinking that he will successfully seek sanctions against it,” he said, also alleging that the opposition leader has accumulated personal wealth while his supporters remain impoverished.
The minister maintained that any reputational damage to Uganda’s international standing would not significantly affect diplomatic relations.
He further argued that Kyagulanyi lacks the political structures necessary to lead a country, citing what he described as insufficient representation of NUP candidates across constituencies in the recent elections.
Oryem also defended the government’s record, stating it has long championed democracy, human rights, and good governance, while acknowledging the possibility of isolated misconduct by security personnel that can be investigated under the law.
The remarks follow Kyagulanyi’s announcement on Saturday that he would temporarily leave Uganda after more than eight weeks of operating from undisclosed locations. He said the trip would allow him to expand international engagement regarding the election outcome.
“I am announcing my brief exit from the country to handle important work. Over the next few weeks, I will engage with our friends in the diaspora before returning to Uganda to continue the push for freedom and democracy,” Kyagulanyi said in a video shared on his social media platforms.
During his absence, he appointed NUP Vice President for Western Uganda, Lina Zedriga Waru, to serve as the party’s acting president.
Kyagulanyi, who had been in hiding since shortly after the polls, claimed he was evading security operatives amid what he described as a military siege around his residence.
“The regime has looked for me everywhere. They have raided the homes of many colleagues, well, they couldn’t find me because the people of Uganda sheltered me and protected me,” he said.
Since the election, Kyagulanyi has rejected the results, calling them “fake” and accusing the Electoral Commission of manipulation, though no substantiated evidence has been publicly presented to support the claims.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja also urged him to return home, while police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke maintained that security presence at his residence is for protection.
“The ongoing presence of security forces at Bobi Wine’s residence is for his own safety, not to restrain or torture him. The government of Uganda is fully aware that if anyone were to attempt to harm Kyagulanyi, it would cause total chaos and mayhem in the country,” Oryem said.
“As far as we are concerned, the elections are done, and Bobi Wine is free to move in and out of the country as he so wishes, provided he does not do anything against the law of the land.”
