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Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has said he has left Uganda after spending weeks in hiding following the country’s disputed presidential election in January.
According to AFP, Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, announced in a video posted on the social media platform on Saturday. He said that by the time the video became public, he would already have departed the country.
“Fellow Ugandans and friends of Uganda all over the world, by the time you see this video, I will have left the country.”
The 44-year-old politician had gone into hiding after the January 15 election, in which longtime leader Yoweri Museveni, 81, secured a seventh term in office. The result drew criticism from observers and civil society organisations, while the opposition rejected the outcome.
Wine has not appeared publicly since the vote and has not disclosed his current location.
His legal team had earlier appealed to the United Nations and the wider international community to help secure guarantees for his safety, citing threats made against him after an election period marked by repression and an internet shutdown.
In the video message, Wine said he intends to use his time outside the country to campaign internationally for sanctions against Uganda’s government. He also announced that Lina Zedriga, his deputy, would temporarily lead the National Unity Platform (NUP) during his absence.
Wine again alleged that the presidential election had been manipulated and claimed that security agencies were searching for him across the country.
“Out of shame and lack of legitimacy, him and his son are searching for me everywhere,” he said.
“It’s laughable that for almost two months, the entire security apparatus of Uganda has invested billions of taxpayers’ money to search for me everywhere, but they failed to get me,” he continued.
He also referred to comments previously posted on social media by Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the president’s son and Uganda’s army chief, who had threatened him in messages that were later deleted.
According to Wine, he plans to return to Uganda after his time abroad and face whatever action the authorities may take, insisting that contesting a presidential election is not a crime.
