Ugandan Police Deny Shooting Opposition Leader Bobi Wine, Investigation Underway
In a tense confrontation in Bulindo, Wakiso district, National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was injured during a clash with police. The incident has sparked widespread debate, with the police insisting that there is no evidence to prove that they shot the opposition leader.
According to Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, Kyagulanyi’s team held a procession after attending a thanksgiving service for lawyer Gorge Musisi, despite being advised against it. The resultant fracas led to the NUP president’s injury. Rusoke stated that the police saw Kyagulanyi stumbling while getting into his vehicle, but his team and others claimed he was shot.
Videos shared on social media appear to show a police officer firing towards where Kyagulanyi was standing, followed by the opposition leader falling to the ground with a wound on his leg. However, Rusoke emphasized that the police will not base their investigation solely on social media videos.
In a statement, opposition stalwart Kizza Besigye dismissed the police’s claims of a stumble, saying that the injuries Kyagulanyi suffered were caused by tear ball grenades. Besigye, a retired Colonel and former bush war combatant, condemned the police’s use of such tactics to persecute opposition politicians.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident, which will be conducted by professional investigators and based on medical evidence. Until the investigation is complete, the police are refusing to draw conclusions about what happened.
The incident has raised concerns about the treatment of opposition leaders in Uganda and the use of force by the police. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the truth about what happened to Bobi Wine will be revealed.
