Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has sustained leg injuries during a confrontation with police, but his party reports that he is now recovering in the hospital. The National Unity Platform (NUP) clarified that the injuries were caused by a tear-gas canister, contrary to initial beliefs that he had been shot.
The incident took place on Tuesday in Bulindo, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Kampala, while Bobi Wine was en route to meet with his lawyers. According to police reports, the opposition leader reportedly stumbled while entering his vehicle amid the conflict.
Footage from the scene shows the popular politician being assisted after sustaining a visible injury to his left shin. NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi indicated that X-ray results revealed fragments from a tear-gas canister lodged in Bobi Wine’s leg, necessitating surgery at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala.
The police stated that Bobi Wine had participated in an event in Bulindo and subsequently attempted to lead a procession that blocked the road. Despite police advisories against this, the procession continued, leading to the altercation during which he was injured. Additionally, four members of the NUP were arrested during the incident.
Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye condemned the event, describing it as a disturbing example of “usual police aggression against political opposition.” Bobi Wine, who first entered parliament in 2017 and challenged President Yoweri Museveni in the contentious 2021 election, remains a significant figure among the youth and has faced multiple arrests and assaults. The security forces in Uganda have a long-standing history of targeting political opponents, as President Museveni nears 40 years in power.
