Ugandan Opposition Leader Bobi Wine Says He Worries About His Safety 'Every Day' at TIME 100 Next Event
Ugandan musician-turned-opposition leader Bobi Wine says he worries about his safety every day as he prepares to oppose President Yoweri Museveni his country’s 2021 elections.
“I’m very worried about my safety. I think about it every day,” he told TIME at Thursday’s TIME 100 Next event.
He added: “A person like me cannot leave their home without being followed around by security.”
Wine has spent time in and out of jail after being arrested over the last two years and accused Ugandan security forces of torturing him while detained.
Wine, 37, was selected for the TIME 100 Next list, which is dedicated to spotlighting the leaders of tomorrow.
The opposition politician has been a vocal critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for more than three decades, in part due to questionable election practices and constitutional manipulation. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has frequently spoken out about the state’s rampant corruption and crackdowns on opposition politicians. Before formally entering politics Wine was already singing about social injustice.
Speaking to TIME Thursday, he vowed to “return civilian rule,” if elected. “I will put an end to gun rule,” he said.
“Police and military have been reduced to playing politics,” he added.
