Bobi Wine Accuses Museveni of ‘Historic Hypocrisy’ Over Human Rights Record

UgandaToday: Bobi Wine Accuses Museveni of ‘Historic Hypocrisy’ Over Human Rights Record

NUP President Launches Scathing Attack Following President’s Remarks on Torture

KAMPALA, Uganda — Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has launched one of his strongest public attacks yet against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, accusing the veteran leader of presiding over decades of human rights abuses while publicly condemning torture and related violations.

In a lengthy statement shared on his official social media platforms, the National Unity Platform (NUP) president described what he termed as “the greatest hypocrisy” of President Museveni, arguing that the government has become synonymous with torture, enforced disappearances, unlawful detention, corruption and impunity during the President’s over four decades in power.

The remarks come amidst continuing national debate over the treatment of opposition politicians, political detainees and Uganda’s broader human rights record.

“Millions Have Witnessed These Violations”

Kyagulanyi alleged that President Museveni’s recent condemnation of torture contradicts what he described as the lived experiences of many Ugandans.

Referring to the 2018 Arua by-election violence, the opposition leader recalled his own arrest and alleged assault by security personnel, while also mentioning the fatal shooting of his driver, Yasin Kawuma.

Kyagulanyi claimed that President Museveni had previously defended the security forces’ actions against him, making the President’s latest remarks on torture difficult to reconcile with past public statements.

According to Kyagulanyi, many Ugandans remain unconvinced by official assurances regarding respect for human rights because of what he described as a long history of abuses allegedly committed by state security agencies.

Raises Concerns Over Missing and Detained Ugandans

The NUP leader cited several cases that he says symbolize the country’s human rights challenges.

Among those he referenced were his chief civilian bodyguard Eddie Mutwe, Mityana Municipality MP Hon. Francis Zaake? Wait, actually the statement referenced Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi. Kyagulanyi also mentioned Muwanga Kivumbi, alleging that the former legislator had been abducted and abused.

He further claimed that numerous NUP supporters remain in detention, while many families continue searching for relatives allegedly taken away by security operatives.

Kyagulanyi also referenced reports by local and international human rights organisations, arguing that these accounts present a picture inconsistent with official government narratives.

The Ugandan government has previously maintained that security agencies operate within the law and that arrests are conducted in accordance with legal procedures. Authorities have also rejected allegations of systematic torture, while pledging to investigate specific complaints where credible evidence is presented.

Sam Mugumya and King Zale Cases Highlighted

A significant portion of Kyagulanyi’s statement focused on the case of activist Sam Mugumya.

He alleged that Mugumya was abducted in Mbarara in 2025 only to lately get a video later surfaced showing him in what Kyagulanyi described as a physically weakened condition, reportedly inside Kasenyi Military Barracks. These allegations have been widely discussed in public discourse, although the government has disputed or declined to confirm aspects of such claims.

Kyagulanyi also raised concerns about musician King Zale, claiming that the artist disappeared after allegedly being picked up in Kamwokya and that his whereabouts remain unknown. He further alleged that individuals recently released from military detention facilities reported seeing the musician while in custody.

These claims have not been independently verified by UgandaToday.

Election Violence and ‘Drone’ Abductions Revisited

Kyagulanyi also revisited allegations surrounding the so-called “drone” abductions that attracted widespread attention before and after Uganda’s 2021 general elections.

He argued that many victims later narrated experiences of torture and illegal detention, while others remain missing.

The opposition leader extended these concerns to the aftermath of the 2026 elections, alleging continued detention of political supporters and suppression of dissent.

Successive government officials have consistently denied operating illegal detention centres and have maintained that security operations are conducted within constitutional and legal frameworks.

Museveni Accused of Abandoning Liberation Ideals

Perhaps the strongest political criticism in Kyagulanyi’s statement was his accusation that President Museveni has abandoned the ideals that formed the basis of the National Resistance Movement’s liberation struggle.

According to Kyagulanyi, Museveni originally justified taking up arms by condemning torture, arbitrary arrests, electoral malpractice and abuse of power under previous governments.

He argued that the current administration now stands accused of institutionalising many of the same practices it once opposed.

“What makes your statements even more astonishing is that you once condemned exactly these practices,” Kyagulanyi wrote, concluding that “history has an interesting way of exposing hypocrisy.”

Growing Political Tensions

Kyagulanyi’s latest remarks underscore the increasingly sharp political contest between Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the opposition as debate over governance, accountability and civil liberties continues.

Human rights remain one of the most contested issues in Uganda’s political landscape, with government officials frequently rejecting accusations of systemic abuse while opposition leaders and civil society organisations continue to demand greater accountability from state institutions.

As political temperatures continue to rise, analysts say the exchanges between government and opposition are likely to remain central to Uganda’s evolving democratic discourse.