Exiled Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has given a dramatic account of his escape from the country after the January 15, 2026, presidential election, revealing in a FRANCE24 interview that he received help from security officers within President Yoweri Museveni’s regime.
Wine said he had received prior intelligence of a plan to harm him. He went into hiding for nearly two months, moving between safe houses while evading capture.
During this period, his home faced a second raid, his wife was assaulted and hospitalized, and military forces occupied the property.
The FRANCE24 interviewer noted that his ability to evade authorities for weeks suggested possible internal divisions. Wine agreed, pointing to assistance from within the security apparatus.
Bobi Wine and NUP claim the election itself was marred by heavy military deployment, reported arrests of supporters, internet disruptions, and widespread rigging. Wine and his allies rejected the results that declared Museveni winner of a seventh term, describing the process as conducted “at gunpoint.”
From Washington, Wine has vowed to continue the struggle for democratic change and indicated his intention to return to Uganda “at the right time.”
The government has previously dismissed similar claims by the opposition.
As Wine operates from exile, his supporters view the escape as evidence of resilience against state pressure, while questions remain about the direction of opposition politics in the country.