Ugandan opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has spoken publicly about ongoing threats to his family and himself, while reflecting on what he described as the long-term impact of President Yoweri Museveni’s rule on the country.
In a message shared on social media, Kyagulanyi said that amid what he characterized as continued harassment by a “criminal regime,” he took time to read an academic work analyzing Uganda’s political trajectory under Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.
He described the book as “insightful” and said it lays bare the gap between the promises that accompanied Museveni’s rise to power and the reality Ugandans face today.
Kyagulanyi referenced political scholar Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, quoting a passage that argues the Museveni era has had deep and lasting social consequences. “The Museveni era has corroded the morals of an entire generation, and there is unlikely to be an easy solution to the problem,” Mamdani writes. “A pervasive corruption and cynicism cloud the country like a fog. It will take no less than a generation for the country to come out of it.”
Describing the account as “depressing,” Kyagulanyi said it nonetheless reinforced his resolve to continue political activism despite pressure from authorities. He framed the struggle for reform as a long-term effort requiring persistence and sacrifice.
“We have work cut out for us,” he wrote. “We refuse to give up or give in.”
The statement ends with a rallying declaration that echoes a common slogan among opposition supporters: “Uganda will be free.”
Kyagulanyi has frequently accused the government of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and repression of dissent claims the authorities have denied, saying security measures are necessary to maintain public order. His latest remarks add to an ongoing national debate over governance, accountability, and the country’s political future.
