Monica Ahimbisibwe
The Spokesperson of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has confirmed that NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, commonly known as Bobi Wine, sustained injuries after being struck by a tear gas canister, not a Bullet as earlier thought, during a visit to Kira Municipality.
The incident occurred while Bobi Wine was leaving the residence of Counsel George Musisi, where he had gone for a visit.
As crowds gathered to see him off, police and military personnel reportedly began firing tear gas and other projectiles to disperse the crowd.
According to Ssenyonyi, one of the tear gas canisters hit Bobi Wine on his left leg, causing a severe injury.
In a statement shared on his official Twitter account, Ssenyonyi expressed outrage at the incident, describing it as yet another act of brutality from a regime that has long relied on violence to suppress dissent.
“Today, @HEBobiwine went to Kira Municipality, at the home of Counsel George Musisi for a visit. As he left after the visit, crowds gathered, then police and the military began to fire tear gas and other projectiles. A tear-gas canister was fired onto his left leg, causing a severe injury,” Ssenyonyi wrote.
He added that an X-ray report revealed fragments of the tear gas canister embedded in Bobi Wine’s leg, necessitating surgery to remove them.
The Ugandan police, however, offered a different account of the events, claiming that Bobi Wine stumbled and fell while entering his car, leading to the injury. Ssenyonyi dismissed this version as “ridiculous” and criticized the authorities for what he sees as a continued pattern of violence against peaceful citizens.
“This brutality is not only despicable, but speaks volumes about a decades-old regime, whose only language is violence towards peaceful citizens. This chaos will end, and Ugandans will attain their freedom!” he concluded.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from NUP supporters and human rights activists, who view it as part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures and their supporters in Uganda.
The country has seen heightened tensions in recent years, with repeated clashes between security forces and opposition members.
Bobi Wine, a popular musician-turned-politician, has been a prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s government, and his activities are often met with heavy-handed responses from security forces.
