Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has labelled opposition leader Bobi Wine as a "terrorist" after winning a seventh term in office. The assertion comes after Wine's party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), disputed the election results, with Wine himself escaping from what he claimed was a police raid on his home.
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, accused NUP of planning to attack polling stations in areas where they were losing, sparking widespread condemnation. The president's victory speech also included a claim that some opposition members are "wrong" and work with foreign groups and homosexual organizations.
The government had blocked social media platforms before the election, citing concerns over misinformation and incitement to violence. However, internet coverage was partially restored late on Saturday. On Sunday, security forces significantly reduced their presence in the streets, with people out and shops open.
Analysts view the election as a formality given Museveni's control of the state and security apparatus. Despite this, many Ugandans still praise him for bringing relative peace and stability to the country. However, human rights groups have accused the government of "brutal repression" of opposition figures ahead of the vote.
One notable example is Kizza Besigye, a key opposition leader who was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and brought back to Uganda for a treason trial that is ongoing. African election observers also reported instances of intimidation, arrest, and abduction, which they said had "instilled fear" among voters.
The government has maintained its claim of preventing the spread of misinformation, despite allegations of electoral irregularities. Museveni's assertion of Wine as a terrorist raises concerns about the future of democracy in Uganda, where the opposition faces significant hurdles in challenging the president's authority.
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, accused NUP of planning to attack polling stations in areas where they were losing, sparking widespread condemnation. The president's victory speech also included a claim that some opposition members are "wrong" and work with foreign groups and homosexual organizations.
The government had blocked social media platforms before the election, citing concerns over misinformation and incitement to violence. However, internet coverage was partially restored late on Saturday. On Sunday, security forces significantly reduced their presence in the streets, with people out and shops open.
Analysts view the election as a formality given Museveni's control of the state and security apparatus. Despite this, many Ugandans still praise him for bringing relative peace and stability to the country. However, human rights groups have accused the government of "brutal repression" of opposition figures ahead of the vote.
One notable example is Kizza Besigye, a key opposition leader who was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and brought back to Uganda for a treason trial that is ongoing. African election observers also reported instances of intimidation, arrest, and abduction, which they said had "instilled fear" among voters.
The government has maintained its claim of preventing the spread of misinformation, despite allegations of electoral irregularities. Museveni's assertion of Wine as a terrorist raises concerns about the future of democracy in Uganda, where the opposition faces significant hurdles in challenging the president's authority.
just saw this news and I'm like totally freaking out 
Museveni labeling Bobi Wine as a terrorist is literally insane 
what's next? he's gonna start calling all opposition leaders "terrorists" and it's just soooo not cool 
i mean we all know the election was rigged from the start, but come on president 
how can you just call someone a terrorist over their party disagreeing with your results? 
this is like something out of a dystopian novel 
it's not like Bobi Wine is asking for much, he wants fair elections and freedom of speech...is that really too much to ask? 
, a country with so much potential. The guy's been in power for like 40 years and what has it gotten him? More control and less democracy 
. Bobi Wine is a total proponent for change and his win was a major blow to the regime 
. But Museveni's labeling him as a "terrorist" is just crazy talk 
. I mean, what even is that? It's like they're trying to gaslight people into thinking the opposition is evil or something 
.
That's basically censorship right there. And now, after he won, they're claiming they were only doing it to prevent misinformation... yeah sure 
!
. First off, labeling someone a "terrorist" without any concrete evidence is super concerning 
. And the fact that he's accusing NUP of planning to attack polling stations in areas where they're losing? That's like, electoral manipulation on steroids 
.
. But at what cost? The opposition is already facing some serious hurdles in challenging his authority, and this just makes things worse 
. Human rights groups are sounding the alarm about brutal repression of opposition figures, and it's really not okay 
.
. And let's be real, Museveni's claims about NUP working with foreign groups and homophobic organizations? That's just a red herring 
. Can't we have a respectful conversation about these issues instead of resorting to personal attacks? 
, I mean think about it. The government blocks social media and then suddenly it's all okay? 
. The opposition is right to dispute the results, but now they're getting threatened with terrorism charges? 
like how can one man just label someone a terrorrist and get away with it? 
My cousin has friends who live in Uganda and they said the internet was blocked for ages before the election and now its back on, lol what even is going on over there? 
i mean, human rights groups are talkin' 'bout brutal repression and intimidation tactics... how's that not terrorism? 
it sounds like he's just tryna deflect from his own 'schemes 
. I remember back in the day when Barack Obama was president and he got all sorts of flak for being too soft on terrorism 
.
. It seems like the government is more interested in maintaining power than actually listening to the people 
. And what about Kizza Besigye being abducted and brought back to Uganda? That's some serious human rights abuses right there.
It sounds like some crazy tech stuff went down. And now that it's all fixed, what happens next? Do people still get in trouble for speaking up? 
. And the way Kizza Besigye was abducted and brought back to Uganda for trial... it's like they're trying to silence anyone who dares to speak out against them 
.
. I wish there was more hope for these people, but it feels like they're running out of options 
.
.
! Museveni being so harsh on Bobi Wine is like, really not cool 
. The way he's trying to paint NUP as terrorists is just 
. It's like, Uganda needs to move forward and not go back to being super repressive 
! Museveni labeling Bobi Wine as a "terrorist" is super worrying 
. it's like, what even is going on in that country? 
, but to just label someone a terrorist without any evidence?! 
, and it's crazy how he still manages to cling to office. And Bobi Wine is being labeled a terrorist? That's just ridiculous 
, especially when there's evidence of human rights abuses going on 
. and now museveni's got some nerve claiming that opposition members are working with foreign groups?