Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has been cleared to run in the presidential election scheduled in January, the Electoral Commission has confirmed a week after rejecting his initial submission.
After Wednesday’s decision, Wine, a pop star-turned-politician, can once again challenge President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking a record seventh term in office. The 81-year-old has ruled the country since 1986.
During the last election in 2021, Wine secured 35 percent of the vote while Museveni won with 58 percent – his poorest margin of victory since taking power.
After the result, Wine accused Museveni of ballot stuffing and fraud, and at least 54 people were killed while protesting against the outcome. Wine was placed under house arrest in the aftermath.
Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party now has the largest number of seats among the opposition in parliament with much of its support coming from working-class communities in urban areas.
Museveni urged his supporters to back his vision for Uganda’s future after electoral officials announced his nomination near Kampala on Tuesday. A constitutional amendment in 2017 removed the presidential age limit of 75, allowing him to extend his rule.
Concerns over intimidation
Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Kampala, said Wine remains Museveni’s “main rival”.
“He said the last vote was rigged, his vote was stolen, and he says this is not going to happen any more,” Soi said.
“His party and supporters have also been complaining that they have been intimidated in the run-up to this election. They say that some of them have been arrested. Others have been abducted, allegedly by security forces.”
Soi said the Electoral Commission chairman told Al Jazeera the electoral body is trying to create a safe space for the opposition to campaign and to make sure that the police are not very heavy-handed.
“But a lot of Ugandans are worried about what has been going on, and they don’t believe that this election is going to be free, fair or credible.”
Another prominent opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, 68, remains in jail in Kampala on treason charges after being seized from neighbouring Kenya in November. He has denied any wrongdoing. Besigye has challenged Museveni in four elections without success.
