EU Condemns Threats Against Bobi Wine as Muhoozi Claims 30 Killed and 2,000 Arrested After Polls

KAMPALA, Uganda — The European Union has voiced concern over pre- and post-election violence in Uganda, warning against threats directed at opposition figures — particularly Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine — and urging authorities to ensure the safety of all candidates and their supporters.

In a statement issued Friday from Brussels, the EU said it regretted “pre- and post-electoral violence and threats, particularly against opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine),” calling on all political actors to exercise restraint and urging Ugandan authorities to guarantee the safety of all political participants.

The EU comments come amid heightened political tension following disputed presidential election results that declared Yoweri Museveni the winner, and a wave of post-election security operations across several parts of the country.

While taking note of the official results announced by the Electoral Commission, the EU aligned itself with concerns raised by the AU–COMESA–IGAD Election Observation Mission, particularly over what it described as an uneven political playing field, arbitrary arrests of civil society actors, restrictions on political activity and the nationwide internet shutdown imposed during the election period.

The statement was issued against the backdrop of a public standoff between Bobi Wine and the military leadership, following a series of social media posts by Uganda’s army commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

In the posts, Kainerugaba claimed that security forces had arrested more than 2,000 people he described as “hooligans” linked to the opposition and that at least 30 members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) had been killed during post-election operations.

“So far we have killed 30 NUP terrorists,” Kainerugaba wrote in one post, while in another he said, “We have arrested over 2,000 hooligans that Kabobi thought he would use.”

He also asserted that his orders carried “the force of the Commander-in-Chief of the State,” remarks that have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, lawyers and human rights advocates.

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Kainerugaba later said the country was “in complete peace” and that he would not issue further threatening posts, urging the public not to provoke instability.

The Ugandan government has rejected allegations of election rigging and human rights abuses, maintaining that the polls were conducted lawfully and that security operations are aimed at preventing unrest and protecting lives and property.

President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has accused opposition groups of inciting violence and working with armed gangs to disrupt the electoral process.

Despite its concerns, the EU emphasized that it remains committed to engagement with Uganda.

It said it values its long-standing partnership with the country and looks forward to continued engagement with the government, civil society and the private sector.

The EU’s statement adds to growing international scrutiny of Uganda’s 2026 elections, as attention focuses on post-election security operations, the treatment of opposition figures and supporters, and calls for accountability over election-related violence and threats.