Kampala, Uganda – Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, has launched a fiery rant against President Yoweri Museveni, accusing the long-time head of state of orchestrating a state-sponsored reign of urban terror through criminal gangs disguised as youth mobilizers.
In a strongly worded statement released on Twitter (x), Bobi Wine alleged that violent youth gangs, operating with impunity under the protection of security forces, were unleashed in Kampala this week as Museveni picked nomination forms to extend his over four-decade grip on power.
“They robbed and beat up citizens in broad daylight… boasting that they’re untouchable,” Bobi Wine wrote on X (formerly Twitter), where he commands a massive following. “This is not law enforcement. This is a criminal enterprise sanctioned at the highest level.”
According to the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, the gangs were deployed to intimidate and silence dissenting voices, especially in areas perceived as opposition strongholds.
He drew a direct link between these violent actors and previous incidents during the Kawempe North by-election and youth council elections, where similar chaos was reported.
Bobi Wine claims the gangs operate under the direction of senior regime enforcers, specifically CID Director Christopher Damulira and an alleged regime handler named Emma Kuteesa, accusing them of supervising the intimidation, assault, and sabotage of NUP supporters.
“These are the same people who remove posters of our candidates, beat up anyone wearing red, and enjoy full protection from the police and military,” he added.
The former presidential candidate painted a miserable picture of Kampala’s urban youth, once the backbone of his Ghetto President movement, now being manipulated with small payouts to inflict fear on their own communities.
“They recruit poor, desperate youth. Pay them peanuts. Then send them to terrorize their neighbours. It is wicked,” Bobi Wine said, evoking emotional reactions from many online.
He warned those participating in what he termed regime-sponsored chaos that justice is coming, urging citizens to document all abuses for future accountability.
In a sobering call to action, Bobi Wine turned his message toward the youth being used as political pawns:
“It is only a stupid fly that follows the corpse to the grave,” he said, referencing a Luganda proverb that drew immediate attention online. “You are better off fighting for your freedom than eating crumbs while your children’s future is being stolen.”
He called on young Ugandans to reject being used as weapons against their own communities, and instead unite to reclaim their dignity and future.
Bobi Wine’s statement comes just as President Museveni is expected to be formally confirmed as the NRM’s presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general election, an announcement that has reignited debates about youth disillusionment, regime violence, and political legitimacy.
Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has faced increasing criticism over the use of security forces and alleged proxy gangs to quash opposition organizing, especially since the disputed 2021 elections.
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