National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has rejected claims by President Museveni that the opposition is funded by foreign interests and transports supporters to rallies to exaggerate its popularity, saying his movements are tightly restricted by state security agencies.
Kyagulanyi was responding to remarks made by President Museveni during a televised New Year address broadcast on December 31, in which the President accused the opposition of orchestrating disorder and serving foreign interests ahead of the January 15, 2026 general election.
Museveni, 81, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, specifically accused NUP of staging crowds using “a fleet of possibly 200 vehicles transporting those nomadic audiences,” arguing that opposition rallies do not reflect genuine public support.
Speaking to The Homeland Newspaper, Kyagulanyi dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated, saying they were intended to discredit government critics.
He described NUP members as patriotic Ugandans and pointed to the party’s use of the national flag as a symbol of its commitment to the country.
Addressing claims that NUP ferries supporters to rallies, Kyagulanyi said the accusations contradict the heavy security restrictions imposed on his movements.
He said police routinely block roads, erect checkpoints and restrict his convoy to only a few vehicles, making organised transportation of supporters impossible.
According to Kyagulanyi, most checkpoints allow passage only for police vehicles and journalists, with security agencies exercising full control over access and movement.
“How do I ferry people when I am not even allowed to move with more than three cars?” Kyagulanyi asked.
The opposition leader said he would not engage in personal attacks or exchange insults with the President, adding that he had chosen to focus on the future rather than what he described as divisive politics.
He urged young Ugandans to look ahead and work toward building a new Uganda grounded in patriotism, improved governance and job creation.
Kyagulanyi’s remarks come amid rising political tensions, with opposition parties warning of shrinking political space and increased security crackdowns ahead of the 2026 general elections, claims the government has previously denied.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has also accused President Museveni and his administration of deliberately promoting a narrative that portrays the opposition as agents of foreign interests in order to justify arrests, prosecutions and heightened surveillance of political actors and civil society.
Lukwago said allegations that opposition figures are funded by foreign interests are being “choreographed” to demonise government critics and frame them as national security threats.
He argued that the narrative is designed to link opposition activity to subversion, terrorism and money laundering, thereby paving the way for further crackdowns.
According to Lukwago, several opposition politicians and activists have already been arrested or charged on the basis of alleged foreign funding and subversive activity.
He cited cases involving Dr Kizza Besigye, Obed Lutale and other activists, noting that their charge sheets reference meetings abroad allegedly linked to foreign sponsors.
Lukwago also pointed to ongoing prosecutions of civil society actors on money-laundering charges, including lawyers, religious leaders and human rights defenders, arguing that these cases form part of a broader effort to criminalise dissent.
He said opposition leaders and activists are now subjected to extensive financial surveillance by state agencies.
“This is about criminalising opposition, criminalising political activism, and presenting us as criminals and proxies of foreign interests in the eyes of Ugandans and the international community,” Lukwago said.
The Kampala Lord Mayor warned that more opposition figures, religious leaders and civil society actors are likely to face arrest on similar charges in the coming months as the government intensifies enforcement of anti–money laundering laws.
Lukwago also criticised President Museveni’s recent comments on alleged security force brutality, accusing the President of downplaying what he described as torture.
He argued that torture is prohibited under Uganda’s Constitution and international law, including the Anti-Torture Act of 2012 and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
He said that if the government were serious about condemning brutality, those responsible would already have been arrested and prosecuted.
Lukwago accused the state of institutionalising violence within Uganda’s political system and lacking the moral authority to condemn abuse.
On accusations that the opposition ferries supporters to rallies, Lukwago dismissed the claims, arguing that strict state controls on assemblies and processions make organic mobilisation difficult.
He countered that it is the ruling party that routinely mobilises crowds through coercion, describing government rallies as tightly controlled and lacking spontaneity.
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