National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, on Wednesday praised residents of Arua for what he described as extraordinary courage after large crowds joined his mobilisation activities despite heavy security presence and use of tear gas.
Kyagulanyi said supporters in Arua “defied teargas, pepper spray, police brutality and threats” to accompany his team through dusty roads before converging at Barifa Stadium, where he addressed them as part of his nationwide political mobilisation.
He said the strong turnout reflected what he called a growing “protest vote” in West Nile and across the country.
“Arua is the true definition of what the protest vote means,” Kyagulanyi said, adding that many supporters walked long distances under the scorching sun to participate.
The NUP leader’s return to Arua carried emotional weight, as he referenced the 2018 incident in which his driver, Yasin Kawuma, was shot dead during violent clashes involving security forces.
“Arua is too dear to me. It is the place where I survived the first state-orchestrated assassination attempt on my life. My own driver and brother Yasin Kawuuma was killed right here,” he said.
Kyagulanyi vowed to keep pushing for accountability over the shooting, saying justice for victims of the Arua incident remains central to his political struggle.
“We will ensure that justice is served for victims of this particular tragedy,” he said.
The Arua event is part of Kyagulanyi’s wider mobilisation campaign ahead of the 2026 general elections, which has seen heightened confrontations between opposition supporters and security agencies in several towns.