Ugandan opposition leader and renowned pop star Bobi Wine has declared his intention to run for the presidency for the second time, while taking aim at Western nations for their perceived silence on what he described as "gross human rights violations" in Uganda.  

The 43-year-old politician, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, confirmed his candidacy in an exclusive interview with RNG247, setting the stage for a potential showdown with long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, 80, who is widely expected to seek re-election in the January 2026 polls.  

"Yes, I’ve expressed my availability on behalf of my team," Wine stated, emphasizing that his participation in the election would serve as "a fighting opportunity to further expose the regime and galvanize the people of Uganda to rise up and free themselves."  

Wine, who finished second in the 2021 presidential election, has consistently rejected the results, alleging widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing, falsification of results, and intimidation by security forces. While the government and electoral officials have denied these claims, Wine has remained a vocal critic of Museveni’s administration.  

In the interview, Wine expressed frustration with Western governments, accusing them of turning a blind eye to human rights abuses in Uganda. He claimed that abductions, illegal detentions, and torture of his supporters and party officials have escalated, yet Western leaders have failed to condemn these actions.  

"Some leaders in the West are complicit in our suffering. They are here to crack their business deals and don’t care about human rights," Wine said. "If they were standing for the values they profess, they would be castigating all these gross human rights violations."  

Uganda, a key Western ally in the fight against jihadist groups, has faced growing scrutiny over its human rights record. Recently, Eddie Mutwe, an activist and personal bodyguard for Wine, was reportedly tortured while in captivity. Mutwe, a member of Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party, had been missing for a week before being produced in court on Monday, where he was charged with robbery and remanded.  

Wine revealed that Mutwe had shared harrowing details of his ordeal, including being electrocuted, waterboarded, and beaten. The incident has sparked outrage, with Uganda’s justice minister acknowledging that Mutwe appeared to have been tortured.  

In a controversial statement, Museveni’s son and head of the military, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, claimed he had kept Mutwe in his basement and used him as a "punching bag." Police spokesman Rusoke Kituma did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations, and efforts to reach a spokesperson for Uganda’s defence forces for Kainerugaba’s response were unsuccessful.  

Wine, who has faced multiple arrests and violent crackdowns on his supporters, said his priorities if elected would include restoring political and civil rights, tackling corruption, and ensuring accountability for human rights abuses.  

As Uganda gears up for another election, Wine’s candidacy is expected to reignite debates about democracy, human rights, and the role of international actors in the East African nation. With Museveni’s decades-long rule showing no signs of waning, the 2026 election could prove to be a pivotal moment in Uganda’s political landscape.