Police arrest two top aides to NUP party leader Bobi Wine

Uganda police on Monday, October 9, arrested two top aides of National Unity Platform leader Bobi Wine as the country was marking independence day.

The two were arrested by heavily armed soldiers who had surrounded NUP party headquarters in Kampala.

NUP party had posted on its X account that police had closed roads stopping vehicles from entering or leaving the party offices.

This was after Bobi Wine had two days earlier, reported that he was under house arrest after he was seized by police at the Entebbe Airport upon arrival from South Africa.

NUP secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya and party spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi were arrested as they were preparing to address a press briefing at the party headquarters.

NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine with his wife at a past event. Photo: Courtesy

At the same time, two pastors who had been invited to lead prayers at the party offices were also arrested.

“The military and police have raided and cordoned off the NUP Head Office, Kamwokya yet again, in order to block us from holding prayers for our dead, detained and disappeared comrades.”

“No one is allowed to enter or leave the office. While they do this, they will shamelessly gather today to celebrate ‘independence’ even when they behave worse than the colonialists,” Bobi Wine posted on X account.

Later during the day, NUP party leader who is also a former musician posted pictures of his supporters carrying posters of ‘free all political prisoners’.

After reports of Bobi Wine’s arrest emerged, the United States raised concerns over the state of democracy in Uganda.

National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine. Photo: Courtesy

On the other hand, police released a statement denying that Bobi Wine was not arrested but he was escorted by security officers from the airport to his home.

According to an official communication from the party on October 6, about 120 activists and supporters involved in the planning of Bobi Wine’s welcome event were arrested.

Additionally, 14 journalists were also arrested for allegedly providing coverage of the welcoming event but they were later released.

However, police reported that only 40 arrests were made in connection to the opposition leader’s welcome event.