Ugandans go to the polls today to elect a new president. Can a charismatic young musician end three and a half decades of rule by a strongman? Freelance reporter Samuel Okiror has been following Bobi Wine’s campaign to defeat Yoweri Museveni

In Uganda, the 38-year-old musician turned politician Bobi Wine – his real name is Robert Kyagulanyi – is seeking the presidency. Wine hopes to oust Yoweri Museveni, 76, who has been in office since 1986. Museveni, who took power after the fall of the dictator Idi Amin, is known for bringing stability to the region and for helping manage the HIV crisis. But he also has a long history of using violence against his political opponents, and Wine is no exception. Over the course of his campaign, Wine has been beaten and repeatedly detained; in November, his bodyguard was killed in an attack on his vehicle.

The freelance reporter Samuel Okiror explains why the country’s youth are rallying behind Wine, and assesses whether the challenger has a real chance of taking office.

Continue reading…

You May Also Like

Ban on polluting lorries pledged in Tories’ transport greenprint

Delayed decarbonisation plan for achieving net zero emissions for transport by 2050…

Russia-Ukraine war live: 150 children abducted from Luhansk and taken to Russia, says Ukraine

National Resistance Centre says close to 20,000 children in total have been…

Sadiq Khan urges progressives to back him amid concern about new voting system

The London mayor fears most voters are unaware of the change to…