Bobi Wine declares 2026 presidential bid, accompanied by families of detained and missing supporters

KAMPALA, Uganda – Ugandan opposition leader and president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, has officially declared his intention to run for the presidency in the 2026 general election.

In a moving ceremony at the NUP headquarters in Makerere Kavule, Kampala, Bobi Wine submitted his Expression of Interest to hold the party flag, promising to lead a “protest vote” against what he described as decades of political oppression and state-sponsored brutality under President Yoweri Museveni’s regime.

“I’m here to seek your support,” Kyagulanyi told a large crowd of party members and supporters. “If you give me the flag to represent you, I won’t let you down. I’ll make you proud.”

A symbolic accompaniment

What set the event apart was the group of individuals who accompanied the presidential hopeful. Alongside his wife, Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi, and their son, Shadrack Mbogo, Bobi Wine was joined by four women each carrying the burden of loss or injustice connected to Uganda’s political crackdown on dissenters.

“These women are not just accompanying me as individuals,” he said. “They represent the thousands of victims of the Museveni regime. Their presence reminds us that our mission is not yet complete.”

Among them were:

Aisha Kabanda, mother of Yasin Ssekitoleko, also known as Machete, who has spent over four years in detention without trial. Despite his bail application being heard, the judge has repeatedly delayed ruling on his release.
Nantumbwe Jane, mother of Eddie Mutwe, Bobi Wine’s principal bodyguard. Mutwe was allegedly abducted by security forces, tortured, and remains in detention at Masaka Prison, despite a court order for his transfer to receive medical attention.
Sarah Ddamulira, wife of John Ddamulira, a NUP supporter abducted in 2020. He has not been seen since. He was reportedly taken from Kisekka Market along with his son, who heard his father being tortured from the next room.
Nabukeera Monica, wife of Johnbosco Kibalama, abducted in June 2019 after receiving threats over his support for the People Power movement. He remains missing to date.

“These are just a few of the thousands,” Kyagulanyi said later on X (formerly Twitter). “Despite all they’ve gone through, these women still cheer us on, urging us to complete the mission. We shall overcome.”

Bobi Wine reaffirmed his claim that the 2021 election, in which he finished as runner-up, was marred by gross irregularities and repression. “We won the previous election, but there was a lot of malpractice,” he said. “Many told us to give up, but we will not stop until we reach the promised land.”

Calling on members of the NUP and all Ugandans, he said: “We must stand up with our voices. Let us not just win – let us have our win announced officially by the electoral commission.”

The 2026 bid, Kyagulanyi emphasized, is not just political, it is a moral obligation to the countless families who have paid the price for demanding change.

As the 2026 election season begins to take shape, Bobi Wine’s candidacy signals another fierce challenge to Museveni’s long rule. With a powerful narrative grounded in personal sacrifice and national redemption, the NUP leader is once again rallying the country around hope, justice, and the promise of a new Uganda.

“We are counting on the support of millions of Ugandans,” he said, “and the infinite mercies of the Almighty to guide us towards victory.”