On 14 January 2021, Uganda will hold parliamentary and presidential elections. The political atmosphere in the country is tense. During the election campaign, numerous opposition members were arrested. Unrest broke out throughout the country. More than 50 people were killed in violent protests and clashes between opposition supporters and Ugandan security forces in November last year. Finally, in December, a ban was imposed on all election rallies to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Ten challengers are running in the election against President Yoweri Museveni (76), who has ruled the East African country since 1986 and has long been considered a stabilising factor and a close ally of the West. The front-runner and Museveni’s main challenger is the MP and pop star Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, better known as Bobi Wine, who is particularly popular with younger voters. Â Bobi Wine began his political career in 2017 when he entered the National Parliament as an independent candidate. In this election, he is running for leadership under the opposition party National Unity Platform. During the election campaign, Bobi Wine was also arrested several times, most recently on 30 December 2020.
Against this backdrop, the German Africa Foundation and Luise Amtsberg MP invited to the online conversation “Uganda Ahead of the Elections – A Conversation with Bobi Wine”.
Watch the whole discussion here:
Programme:
Welcome remarks: Luise Amtsberg MP, BĂĽndnis 90/The Greens
Introduction and moderation: David Schwake, Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Impulse: Bobi Wine MP, presidential candidate for the National Unity Platform
Q&A Session