Supporters turned out in large numbers to welcome Uganda’s 2026 presidential candidate Bobi Wine as he continued his nationwide mobilisation drive ahead of January’s general elections.
The polls will see Ugandans elect the president, members of parliament, and local leaders, in what observers say could be one of the most consequential elections in the country’s recent history.
Once again, the race will feature long-time incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled since 1986 and has been cleared by the electoral commission to seek another term. His continued presence on the ballot sets up yet another high-stakes showdown between the ruling establishment and a resurgent opposition, now fronted by Bobi Wine, leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
But conspicuously missing from the ballot is veteran opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and long-standing critic of Museveni, whose absence is reshaping the dynamics of the race.
Besigye has spent more than a year in detention. His wife, Winnie Byanyima, has issued an emotional public appeal for justice and his release, warning that his continued incarceration undermines the credibility of the upcoming election and the rule of law.
Besigye and his aide were arrested in Nairobi in November 2024, deported to Uganda, and taken straight to prison on treason-related charges. They were initially arraigned before a military court, a move heavily criticised by rights groups and legal experts.
That process later collapsed after the Supreme Court ruled that trying civilians in military courts was unconstitutional, forcing the state to transfer the case to the civilian judiciary. The pair now face treason charges before the High Court, with no clear timeline for the conclusion of their trial.
For many opposition supporters, Besigye’s detention is seen as part of a broader pattern of repression ahead of the polls, even as Bobi Wine attempts to galvanise a new generation of voters.
As campaigns gather momentum, the stage is set for a deeply polarised contest — one marked not only by the familiar dominance of Museveni, but also by the conspicuous absence of one of his fiercest long-time challengers, whose fate now rests in the hands of Uganda’s courts.
