Uganda Police Refute Abduction Claims of Opposition Leader Bobi Wine

Sat Jan 17 2026 13:02:58 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a tense political atmosphere, the Ugandan police have dismissed allegations that presidential candidate Bobi Wine was abducted following the recent elections. The opposition leader's family continues to raise concerns about his safety amidst ongoing unrest.

Police in Uganda denied claims that opposition leader Bobi Wine was abducted after allegations surfaced he was taken by helicopter from his home amidst an internet blackout. Wine's party and family members voiced confusion about his whereabouts as they asserted that he was forcibly taken. While the police confirmed Wine was at home, they restricted access to the area as a security measure. Ongoing tension and violence have marred the electoral process, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the recent vote.

Police in Uganda have denied allegations that presidential candidate Bobi Wine was abducted on Friday evening as vote counting continues in the East African nation amid an internet blackout.

Wine's party said a helicopter landed in the grounds of his house in the capital, Kampala, and forcibly took him to an unknown location.

Initially, Wine's son, Solomon Kampala, said both his parents had been seized, but later claimed his father escaped and only his mother was being held, leading to confusion over the whereabouts of the opposition leader.

The latest electoral figures from Thursday's vote give Museveni 72% of the vote, with Wine on 24%, based on returns from 94% of polling stations.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday morning, police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said the National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader was still in his home in Kampala and that it was Wine's family members who were spreading untrue and unfounded claims.

He said Wine's movements were restricted because his home was an area of security interest. We have controlled access to areas which are security hotspots, he added.

On Friday, Wine had told his supporters to ignore the fake results that have been announced, stating authorities have been stealing the vote without providing evidence.

Amidst the raid, Solomon confirmed overnight he was receiving conflicting reports about the security situation at his parents' home, asserting his father managed to escape while his mother remained under arrest.

The lack of internet access in the country has hindered the verification of information, and reports of violence against opposition supporters have emerged following the polls.

During the chaotic voting, delays were widespread due to ballot box shortages and malfunctioning biometric machines, compounded by the network outage that many linked to the elections.

Election chief Simon Byabakama asserted that despite the internet disruption, vote counting continued and results would be announced soon.

With President Museveni seeking a seventh term, and Wine, a youthful candidate, advocating for reform amidst allegations of corruption, tensions in Uganda appear far from resolved.