Bobi Wine, Uganda’s opposition leader, is facing urgent threats to his safety following alarming statements by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni.
His international legal team has warned that the threats, made after the January 15 election, pose a genuine risk to his life.
Amsterdam and Partners LLP, representing Bobi Wine, said the country’s history of violence and unlawful treatment of opposition figures makes the warnings especially serious.
“The risk posed by these threats cannot be dismissed as rhetorical or political posturing, and must be treated as an immediate, operational risk requiring preventive action,” the statement said.
The law firm noted that General Kainerugaba has operational control over the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, which have previously been linked to human rights violations. This gives his statements serious weight, the firm said, and raises the danger of unlawful harm.
The statement added: “Under international law, such threats trigger immediate obligations on the part of the Ugandan government to prevent violence, protect life and ensure the safety of those at risk. When threats are issued by senior officials and remain unrepudiated, they may be understood by security forces as tacit authorisation. That ambiguity is itself dangerous and must be removed immediately through clear public and operational directives.”
In a string of posts on X, General Kainerugaba wrote: “We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week. I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” referring to Bobi Wine’s nickname.
The law firm stressed that the international community, including the United Nations, must demand immediate safety guarantees to allow Bobi Wine to return safely to his family.
They warned that any arrest or detention now could result in serious injury or death, noting Bobi Wine’s prior experiences of torture by Ugandan security forces.
“Based on my personal knowledge of the torture Wine has previously suffered at the hands of Ugandan security forces, it is not hyperbolic to state that his arrest or detention now carries a real and credible risk of death or grievous bodily harm, including through enforced isolation or unlawful interference by state-linked actors,” the statement added.
Amsterdam and Partners LLP reminded that Uganda is legally bound under multiple international and regional human rights agreements, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to protect all citizens.
Any failure to restrain General Kainerugaba and guarantee Bobi Wine’s security would be a serious violation of these obligations, the firm said.
“These threats are well beyond the pale,” the statement said. The law firm concluded that responsibility for Bobi Wine’s safety ultimately lies with President Museveni and the Ugandan government, particularly given that the threats originate from a top military official and ruling family member.
