Uganda accuses U.S. envoy of subversion for trying to visit Bobi Wine

Ugandan police officers refuse lawyers of Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, from meeting him at his house in Kampala, Uganda January 18, 2021. Photo: Reuters.

Uganda accused the U.S. ambassador on Tuesday of seeking to subvert last week’s presidential election by trying to visit the main opposition candidate at his home, which has been surrounded by security forces since the vote. Troops prevented pop star-turned-legislator Bobi Wine from leaving his house shortly after he returned from voting in Thursday’s presidential election, in which he ran against incumbent Yoweri Museveni. On Tuesday Wine said he and his wife had run out of food, and milk for her 18-month-old niece. Museveni, 76, who has been in power since 1986, was declared winner of the poll with 59% of the vote against 35% for Wine, who became famous after years of singing about government corruption and nepotism, charges the government denies.

The U.S. embassy said late on Monday that Ambassador Natalie E. Brown had been stopped from visiting Wine, who it referred to by his real name, Robert Kyagulanyi, at his residence in a suburb in the northern outskirts of the capital. The mission said Brown wanted to check on his health and safety given that he was effectively unable to leave his home. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said Brown had no business visiting Wine, who the army says is being held to prevent potential unrest breaking out in the wake of the result.