National Unity Platform (NUP) lawyer and Kira Municipality Member of Parliament–elect, George Musisi, has defended former NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, for temporarily leaving Uganda, framing it as part of a broader struggle for political freedom.
Speaking on NBS Barometer on Tuesday, Musisi drew parallels with historic political movements, noting that leaders have often endured exile or gone underground to advance their causes.
“One of the historic leaders, Nelson Mandela, went underground for over 17 months. Here in Uganda, several leaders, including President Yoweri Museveni himself, have been in exile before. No one will define for us how we intend to carry on with the struggle,” Musisi said.
The remarks follow Bobi Wine’s announcement on Saturday that he is temporarily leaving Uganda after more than eight weeks of operating from undisclosed locations.
Kyagulanyi said he would use the trip to engage the international community regarding the election outcome.
Whilst in hiding, Bobi Wine addressed the Geneva Summit and the European Union online, raising governance concerns, and indicated that he plans to take these engagements to an in-person level while abroad.
“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,” he said in a viral video posted on his social media platforms.
During his absence, Kyagulanyi appointed NUP Vice President for Western Uganda, Lina Zedriga Waru, who recently returned from prison, to serve as the party’s acting president.
Bobi Wine, who has been in hiding since the day after the polls, said he had to evade “snatch squads” during what he described as a heavy military siege around his Magere 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 January 15 election, Kyagulanyi has rejected the results, labeling them “fake” and accusing the Electoral Commission of manipulating the process, though no substantial evidence has been offered publicly. He has also claimed that the Commission announced results without providing the mandatory Declaration of Results forms.
On January 16, 2026, Bobi Wine reportedly left his Magere residence and went into hiding after a military operation at his home. He has since continued communicating with supporters via social media, asserting that state security agencies are targeting him—a claim consistently denied by the government.
Despite the election controversy, Kyagulanyi has said he will not challenge the results in court, citing a lack of faith in the judiciary, and has instead called on his supporters to engage in peaceful protests against what he terms a stolen election.
Government officials, including Chris Baryomunsi and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, have repeatedly dismissed claims of political persecution and urged Kyagulanyi to return home.
Security deployments around Kyagulanyi’s Magere residence, clarified Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, are intended to prevent the home from becoming a “hub for public disorder,” not to threaten or detain him.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem Okello, also emphasized that the security presence is protective, noting that any harm against Kyagulanyi could provoke “total chaos and mayhem” in the country.
