Bobi Wine rules out contest Uganda Election results in Court

Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine has told the BBC that he will not challenge the results of Thursday’s presidential election in court, saying he has no confidence in the country’s judiciary.

Instead, he has urged his supporters to take to the streets in peaceful protest to defend what he calls their stolen democratic rights.

Speaking from an undisclosed location where he says he is hiding for his safety, Wine said the judiciary is “captured” and incapable of delivering justice.

“We encourage Ugandans to use any legal means to fight back and protect their democracy,” said the 43-year-old former pop star, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi.

He added that he would continue opposing President Yoweri Museveni despite growing threats against him.

President Museveni, 81, was declared the winner with 72% of the vote, while Wine came second with 25%.

Museveni has accused the opposition of attempting to overturn the election through violence and has labelled them “terrorists”. 

Wine, however, insists the results are “fake”, alleging widespread ballot stuffing, though he has not provided evidence.

Wine said security forces raided his home in a Kampala suburb on Friday night, prompting him to flee.

He accused the authorities of cutting electricity, disabling surveillance cameras and preventing food from reaching his wife and relatives, whom he said are effectively under house arrest.

Police have denied raiding his home, saying the security presence was meant to protect him as a presidential candidate.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission said technical and procedural challenges occurred during voting but did not undermine the overall fairness of the election.

African Union observers also reported no evidence of ballot stuffing, though they criticised the days-long internet shutdown imposed during the polls.

Wine previously challenged Museveni’s 2021 election victory in court but later withdrew the case, citing judicial bias. This time, he says protests are the only viable option.

He also alleged an ongoing “silent massacre” of opposition supporters, claiming more than 100 people were killed during election violence, though no evidence was provided.

Uganda’s army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba—Museveni’s son and a potential successor—said security forces had killed 22 opposition supporters during poll-related unrest.

He also issued a warning to Wine, giving him 48 hours to surrender to police or be treated as an outlaw.

Wine said the threat reinforced his decision to go into hiding. “You have heard Museveni’s son promising to harm me, and he has delivered before,” he said.

Museveni, who first took power in 1986, said his victory demonstrated the continued dominance of his ruling National Resistance Movement.

Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence.