Bobi Wine blocked in Iganga, Police deny bias
Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, clashed with security forces this weekend over a cancelled campaign rally in Iganga Municipality. While the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate accused police and the military of blocking him on Friday, October 3, authorities insisted the cancellation was the result of his team refusing to follow agreed security routes.
Bobi Wine’s accusations
On Friday evening, Kyagulanyi posted on social media that his convoy had been stopped by heavily armed police and soldiers as it attempted to enter Iganga Municipality.
“Although two other presidential candidates have so far campaigned in Iganga Municipality, the RDC, RPC and DPC in Iganga have insisted that we must not campaign in Iganga Municipality,” he wrote.
Kyagulanyi said that security officials had intimidated venue owners until his team managed to secure the Oxford High School playground as an alternative site. But, according to him, police still refused to let his rally proceed. “Seeing that they came armed to the teeth to injure or kill our people, we have decided to postpone our campaign in Iganga,” he stated, vowing to petition the Electoral Commission.
Police respond
The Uganda Police Force rejected NUP’s allegations in a press release issued the same day, October 3.
They acknowledged that Kyagulanyi was scheduled to hold two rallies; in Mayuge District and later in Iganga. According to police, the Mayuge rally “was successfully held” without incident.
The statement explained that Kyagulanyi’s team had been directed to use an “agreed-upon route” into Iganga and to hold their event specifically at Namungale Grounds. Police said this arrangement was communicated to NUP to ensure order and security in the town.
“On their way to Iganga, Candidate Sentamu and his group were advised to follow the agreed-upon route to Iganga Municipality and specifically to Namungale Grounds. However, they opted to take an alternative route where they encountered our cutoffs,” the police said.
Authorities emphasized that Kyagulanyi’s team “chose to divert” instead of returning to the designated venue, eventually heading towards Jinja City and abandoning the rally altogether.
Police added that security deployments were standard for all presidential candidates and not unique to NUP. “We urge him and his team to adhere to security guidelines to ensure smooth and peaceful campaigns,” the statement concluded.
Kyagulanyi presses on
On Saturday, October 4, Kyagulanyi addressed journalists before leaving for campaign activities in Namayingo and Bugiri districts. He escalated his criticism, saying the Electoral Commission had failed to intervene as opposition parties face harassment.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, Kyagulanyi said police interference often forced his campaign team to spend hours on journeys that should take only minutes. “There are instances where we are supposed to travel for just 20 minutes, but we end up spending two or three hours because of police blockades,” he said. “You’ve also seen the bias and the one-sidedness of not just the police or the military but also the Electoral Commission.”
He promised Iganga residents that he would return to campaign there despite Friday’s blockade. “We refuse to be used in order to make violence upon us because they want to provoke us into violence so they can get justification to brutalize our people. We refuse that. We are non-violent.”
The Iganga standoff adds to a series of confrontations between NUP and Ugandan security agencies ahead of the 2026 general elections. While the police insist that campaign guidelines are in place for security and traffic management, NUP accuses authorities of selectively enforcing them to stifle opposition momentum.
The Electoral Commission has yet to comment on the dispute.
