Exclusive: Govt-NUP in Talks Over Bobi Wine’s ‘Dignified and Secure’ Return

Bobi Wine and wife Barbie Itungo in the US during Eid al Fitr celebrations last week

Quiet negotiations between the government and NUP are reportedly underway to facilitate Bobi Wine’s return to Uganda, with security withdrawn from his Magere home and several party leaders recently released on bail. Tags:

Quiet but intensive negotiations have for weeks been underway between the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Ugandan government to facilitate the safe return of party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu from abroad, multiple security sources have told this publication.

The talks, which have taken place several times in recent weeks, are understood to include an arrangement under which Bobi Wine would return home without facing any criminal charges related to the disputed January 15, 2026 general elections.

A key outcome of the negotiations appears to have already materialised, with the complete withdrawal of security forces from Bobi Wine’s Magere residence earlier today.

On the NUP side, those involved in the talks are said to include National Treasurer Benjamin Katana, Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, and senior party spokesperson and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi.

On the government side, Uganda’s Ambassador to the United Nations and ex-officio Cabinet member Adonia Ayebare is said to be involved in the discussions.

When contacted by this publication, Katana said he was not aware of any such negotiations, while Rubongoya and Ssenyonyi were unreachable by press time.

Ambassador Ayebare told Nile Post he would call back but had not done so by the time of publication.

However, highly placed sources within the security establishment, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that several rounds of talks have already been held and that the withdrawal of security personnel from the Magere home was one of the first concrete outcomes.

The same sources said the two sides are now finalising the modalities for Bobi Wine’s return, with both parties keen to avoid any public confrontation or fresh arrests.

The negotiations come against the backdrop of what analysts describe as a series of quiet concessions by the state.

In recent weeks, several senior NUP leaders have been released on bail, including some of the party’s deputy presidents.

Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba, the party’s Deputy President for Western Uganda, was granted cash bail of Shs1 million by the Kabale Chief Magistrate’s Court on February 19, 2026, after spending about two weeks in detention, including a period when her whereabouts were unknown until she was produced in court on February 6.

She faces charges of inciting political violence allegedly committed between December 2025 and January 2026.

Dr Lina Zedriga, the NUP Deputy President for Northern Uganda, was also released on cash bail of Shs1 million by the Gulu Chief Magistrate’s Court in late February after being remanded earlier in the month on similar incitement to violence charges.

Today, March 24, 2026, John Mary Ssebuwufu, a commissioner on the party’s Election Management Committee, was granted cash bail of Shs500,000 by the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of incitement to violence.

He had been arrested around January 14, 2026, held incommunicado for a period, and remanded multiple times before today’s ruling.

However, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the NUP Deputy President for Buganda/Central Region, remains on remand facing more serious charges, including terrorism and related offences linked to post-election activities.

Political analysts say the combination of the Magere security withdrawal, the release of detained NUP figures, and the reported negotiations suggests a calculated attempt by both sides to lower political tensions in the aftermath of the bitterly contested January 2026 presidential election.

Bobi Wine went into hiding shortly after the polls and later left the country citing security concerns. He has since been issuing statements from abroad calling for electoral justice and democratic reforms.

NUP has not yet issued an official statement on the expected return date, but insiders say arrangements are being made to ensure the return is “dignified and secure.”

Nile Post will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information emerges.