Intrigue as Muhoozi- Bobi Wine online exchange escalates

A collage of Uganda Opposition leader Bobi Wine and General Muhoozi Kainerugaba

Intrigue has greeted a fresh online exchange between Uganda People’s Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, following last week’s disputed presidential election.

Muhoozi, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, resurfaced on X with his trademark provocative posts, this time issuing threats against the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate.

The exchange follows the January 15 presidential election in which Museveni, in power for four decades, was declared the winner with 72 per cent of the vote against Wine’s 25 per cent.

Wine, a former pop star turned politician, rejected the outcome, alleging widespread rigging and describing the results as “fake”, achieved through “ballot stuffing.”

“Even at the polling station where Museveni voted from, the number of people who ‘apparently voted’ from there exceeds the number of registered voters,” he tweeted on January 18.

In a separate post, he shared a video purporting to show Electoral Commission officials marking ballots in favour of Museveni at a polling station in western Uganda.

Days before the final tally was announced, Wine said he had gone into hiding, alleging attempts by security forces to abduct him from his home in Magere.

“The military and police raided us. They switched off power and cut off some of our CCTV cameras. There were helicopters hovering over. I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them. Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest,” he wrote on X.

Shortly afterwards, Muhoozi emerged with a flurry of tweets that appeared to validate Wine’s fears, threatening to “extinguish” him and his party.

Affirming his father’s re-election, Muhoozi said the outcome had been foretold, describing himself as a “prophet”.

“I told you all that Mzee would win by the biggest percentage since 1996, and it happened. Now I tell you that NUP will be removed and extinguished from our land like a bad dream,” he wrote.

“As for Kabobi, the permanent loser, I’m giving him exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the police. If he doesn’t, we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly.”

He claimed he was acting on his own authority, saying he exonerates “my great and vulnerable father” from his actions.

In subsequent posts on Monday, Muhoozi escalated his remarks, alleging that 22 NUP supporters had already been killed.

“I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” he added. The posts quickly gained traction online, drawing reactions from across the region, particularly after CNN International correspondent Larry Madowo shared them.

“The son of Uganda’s president is tweeting about killing his father’s main challenger (who is in hiding),” Madowo wrote.

“You may do whatever you wish, but do not touch that man. As Kenyans, we love and respect one another regardless of political background,” said a Member of County Assembly from Kitui.

“Afande, you’re too agitated lately. Who hurt you?” another user asked.

Others dismissed the threats as nothing more than friendly banter. “This entire conversation looks like a script to me,” one user said, describing it as showmanship rather than intent.

On Monday, Wine responded to Muhoozi, saying he would emerge from hiding at a time of his choosing.

“You ordered the raid on my house to harm me. I beat you at your own game and escaped. To cover up the shame, you claimed no one was looking for me. Here you are now, seized by fear and panic and confirming your wicked plot against me. Anyway, I will resurface when I decide,” he wrote.

He also disputed Muhoozi’s claims on fatalities, saying the figure cited understated the number of his supporters killed during the election period.

“In reality, he has killed over 100 since last week,” Wine claimed. He further alleged that soldiers stationed at his home banged on doors, hurled profanities, and intimidated occupants.

“The people at my home say the criminals seemed to be drunk. We demand that the military vacate our home immediately. My wife and people are not safe,” he said.

Wine added that access to his home had been blocked, leaving his family without food supplies. “They cut the padlocks off our gates and replaced them with chains,” he said.

Meanwhile, African Union observers on Sunday gave the election a clean bill of health, saying the polls were largely peaceful and free of malpractice.

The country's Electoral Commission declared Museveni the winner with 7.9 million votes.

Regional leaders, including Kenya’s President William Ruto, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, and African Union Commission chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, have since congratulated Museveni on his re-election.

Museveni, 81, has been in power since January 1986, when his National Resistance Army seized power after a five-year guerrilla war.

Shortly after securing a seventh term, a resurfaced 1986 clip showed him telling Ugandans that his revolution was irreversible and that they should abandon hopes of alternative leadership.