Uganda’s political climate remained tense on Saturday, January 17, 2026, as the Uganda People’s Defence Forces denied widespread claims that opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, had been detained during the vote-counting phase of the country’s 2026 general elections.
The election pitted the incumbent President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, an 81-year-old former guerrilla fighter who has ruled the East African nation since 1986, against Wine, a 43-year-old former musician turned legislator who has built a significant political following among urban youth.
The controversy erupted after Wine stated on Friday that he had been confined to his residence in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. His National Unity Platform party later claimed through its official X (formerly Twitter) account that he had been “forcibly taken” from his home by a military helicopter.
However, military spokesperson Chris Magezi dismissed the allegations as fabricated.
According to Magezi, “The rumours of his so-called arrest are baseless and unfounded. They are designed to incite his supporters into acts of violence,” he told the international news agency Agence France-Presse.
Agence France-Presse correspondents positioned around Wine’s residence reported that the atmosphere outside the property was calm on Saturday morning, although communication disruptions caused by an ongoing nationwide internet shutdown made it difficult to verify details directly from party members or campaign staff.
A resident identified as Prince Jerard, a 29-year-old stall owner living near Wine’s residence, told reporters he had heard the movement of drones and a helicopter the previous night, describing visible security deployments. “Many people have left the area. We have a lot of fear,” he said.
Preliminary results released by the Uganda Electoral Commission showed President Museveni holding a commanding lead with 73.7 percent of votes counted, while Wine trailed with 22.7 percent. Final results were scheduled for announcement around 1300 GMT on Saturday.
Wine, who refers to himself as the “ghetto president” in reference to his upbringing in Kampala’s urban slum communities, accused the government of engaging in “massive ballot stuffing” and attacking opposition officials under the concealment provided by the ongoing internet blackout. His claims could not be independently verified at the time.
International attention intensified after the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement earlier in the week noting that the election was taking place amid “widespread repression and intimidation” targeting opposition voices.
Observers also documented election-day irregularities, including malfunctioning biometric identification machines, delayed ballot delivery, and reported acts of violence in multiple regions of the country.
A parliamentarian from Wine’s party, Muwanga Kivumbi, representing the Butambala constituency in Central Uganda, alleged that security forces stormed his residence and killed ten of his campaign agents. The claims remained under review and could not be independently verified at the time of reporting.
Okay News reports.
