Opposition leader Bobi Wine has ruled out contesting the election results in court, citing a lack of confidence in the judiciary. The 43-year-old former pop star, who lost to President Yoweri Museveni by a landslide, says he will instead urge his supporters to take to the streets to peacefully protest.
Speaking from hiding, Wine accused the judiciary of being "captured" and urged Ugandans to use any legal means to fight back against what he called an illegitimate election. He cited concerns over the handling of ballots and alleged that the opposition was being targeted by security forces.
Wine's comments come after Museveni, 81, won a seventh term as president with 72% of the vote. The opposition leader maintains that the results are "fake" and that he will not accept them without a thorough investigation.
Museveni has accused the opposition of seeking to overturn the results through violence, calling them "terrorists." His son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, warned Wine that if he doesn't surrender himself to the police within 48 hours, he would be treated as an outlaw/rebel and handled accordingly.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has observed some challenges on polling day but said they did not undermine the overall fairness of the vote. The African Union's election observers also found no evidence of ballot stuffing, but condemned the days-long internet shutdown that only returned after Museveni was declared the winner.
Wine's decision to forgo contesting the results in court is seen as a significant blow to his chances of challenging Museveni's victory. However, he has vowed to continue fighting for democracy and has called on Ugandans to use their constitutional rights to protest peacefully.
Speaking from hiding, Wine accused the judiciary of being "captured" and urged Ugandans to use any legal means to fight back against what he called an illegitimate election. He cited concerns over the handling of ballots and alleged that the opposition was being targeted by security forces.
Wine's comments come after Museveni, 81, won a seventh term as president with 72% of the vote. The opposition leader maintains that the results are "fake" and that he will not accept them without a thorough investigation.
Museveni has accused the opposition of seeking to overturn the results through violence, calling them "terrorists." His son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, warned Wine that if he doesn't surrender himself to the police within 48 hours, he would be treated as an outlaw/rebel and handled accordingly.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has observed some challenges on polling day but said they did not undermine the overall fairness of the vote. The African Union's election observers also found no evidence of ballot stuffing, but condemned the days-long internet shutdown that only returned after Museveni was declared the winner.
Wine's decision to forgo contesting the results in court is seen as a significant blow to his chances of challenging Museveni's victory. However, he has vowed to continue fighting for democracy and has called on Ugandans to use their constitutional rights to protest peacefully.
... I feel like he's really in a tough spot 
. But you know what? I still believe in him 
! He's got the voice of the people on his side and that's something no one can take away from him 
. I think it's amazing how he's choosing to use peaceful protests as a way to fight for democracy 
. It's not going to be easy, but Ugandans are strong and resilient 
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. But what about the opposition? Are they being heard at all? The numbers are pretty stark: 71.1% of Ugandans voted for Museveni, while Wine only got 30.8% 
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I mean, come on! Can't believe Bobi Wine just gave up like that 
. I know the judiciary isn't perfect, but that's no excuse to just throw in the towel. What's next? The opposition is gonna start accepting bad elections and just chill with it? 
I get that security forces can be a problem, but you can't just resort to violence either... that's just chaos 
. And what about all those internet shutdowns? That was messed up! Anyway, I hope Wine knows his supporters won't give up on him... they need someone to fight for their rights in that country 
He's literally giving up on the courts but is still all about protesting in the streets... like what's the plan here? 
I'm not saying Museveni won or anything, but a 72% margin is pretty hard to dispute. And honestly, can't he just take a hint and concede already? 
it's starting to feel like he's more concerned about being an outlaw than actually fighting for change... 
. It's not just about Bobi Wine losing an election, it's about the future of democracy in Uganda 
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. And the internet shutdown before the vote was just another red flag 
. However, his suggestion that Ugandans should use peaceful protest as an alternative is definitely worth exploring - after all, democratic participation and free speech are fundamental rights 
. But with the government already painting opposition figures like Wine as "terrorists" and warning him of potential repercussions, it's clear that there's a lot at stake here 
. This whole thing stinks 
. Still, I think Wine's right to voice his frustrations and get people out there protesting 
. Anyway, sounds like he's just gonna let his supporters get all riled up and protest peacefully (good luck with that 
And I'm sure Gen Muhoozi's threat to treat Wine like an outlaw will really send chills down his spine 
. The UHRC and African Union observers say the election was mostly fair, but what do they know, right? 
, now it looks like he'll be silenced 
. I mean, 72% of the vote is pretty crazy 
. Still, Bobi Wine said he won't give up 
... maybe this is just the beginning of something big 
but its def a big blow to his chances of winning