Bobi Wine Says Police Officers Punished Over His Escape as He Leaves Uganda

Opposition Leader Accuses Government of Persecuting Security Officers

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the leader of the National Unity Platform, has accused the Ugandan government of persecuting police officers who were assigned to his campaign after authorities allegedly blamed them for his disappearance earlier this year.

Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, made the claims in a strongly worded statement on Saturday, March 14, 2026, shortly after announcing that he had temporarily left Uganda following nearly two months in hiding.

According to the opposition leader, nine police officers who had been attached to his campaign team were recently paraded before the Police Court and dismissed from the Uganda Police Force on charges of “neglect of duty.”

He insists the officers are being unfairly punished for circumstances beyond their control.

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“They Were Withdrawn Before the Raid,” Kyagulanyi Says

Kyagulanyi maintains that the officers had already been withdrawn from his protection detail on January 15, the day Uganda held its presidential election.

He said that by the time security forces reportedly raided his home the following day, the officers were no longer on duty.

“The regime claims these officers assisted me to escape from my own home. That is crazy,” Kyagulanyi said in the statement.

He argued that the officers were deployed strictly to provide protection during the campaign and not to spy on him.

“They are now being hounded, persecuted and punished because the regime cannot live with the embarrassment of failing to locate me for two months,” he added.

Continued Detention of Officers Raises Concern

Kyagulanyi further revealed that two of the dismissed officers — including one identified as Officer Kigenyi — were reportedly returned to detention at the police station located at the Railway Grounds in Kampala.

According to him, the officers remain under interrogation despite their dismissal from the force. The development, he said, demonstrates what he described as the growing politicisation of state institutions. Kyagulanyi accused the government of turning public institutions into tools to protect political interests rather than uphold professionalism.

Two Months in Hiding After Election Tensions

Kyagulanyi had been out of public view since mid-January after claiming security forces raided his home shortly after the presidential election in which he challenged long-time Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni.

He said the operation forced him into hiding while security agencies searched for him across the country. In a video message released online on Saturday, the opposition leader announced that he had temporarily left Uganda for what he described as “critical engagements” abroad and promised to return to continue his political activities.

Video: Bobi Wine Announces Exit From Uganda

In the message, Kyagulanyi said he had managed to evade authorities for weeks with the help of ordinary Ugandans who sheltered him while security forces searched for him.

“By the time you see this video, I will have left the country for some critical engagements outside Uganda,” he said, adding that he intends to return and continue pushing for what he called freedom and democracy.

“Uganda Will Be Free”

Despite his departure, Kyagulanyi insisted that his political struggle remains active.

He concluded his message with a rallying call to supporters saying: “Uganda will be free,” while also renewing the campaign slogan #FreeUgandaNow.

The government has previously denied claims that it was pursuing Kyagulanyi or targeting him politically, maintaining that security operations are conducted within the law.

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