National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine has spoken out on the troubles he and his family members have had to endure as a result of his decision to oppose Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s regime, especially challenging the country’s elderly longest-serving President in the presidential election.
Bobi Wine was one of the candidates in the 2021 presidential election. He came second to Museveni and his NUP party eclipsed the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to become the main opposition political party in the Parliament of Uganda. Bobi Wine insisted that he had been rigged out, challenging the election results in the Supreme Court and rapping the Electoral Commission for favouring Gen Museveni.
Before acquiring the NUP party and becoming its presidential candidate, Bobi Wine had served as the MP representing Kyadondo East. As MP and presidential candidate, Bobi Wine says his family has had to make sacrifices and that his life and family have suffered negative consequences.
In a recent interview with Kenya’s Citizen Television’s Mwaura Waihiga, Bobi Wine talked of of infringements on his and his family members’ freedoms, forfeiture of comforts and traumatizing experiences.
Bobi Wine also revealed how his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi Itungo had at first insisted that the singer and politician should only serve his nation through music but later changed her mind when Kyagulanyi was tortured during a 2018 byelection in Arua Municipality. Bobi said that Barbie has since been a pillar in his struggles and is now willing to sacrifice her husband for the sake of liberating Uganda from Museveni’s rule.
“My wife has been a pillar of strength for me. She is my first adviser and takes me back in whatever shape I come back home with: whether it is broken limbs, beaten, she takes me back,” said Bobi Wine.
“Initially she was not for this because we worked so hard in our earlier years and wanted to retire at 35 years. She was like, you can still serve your country through music. When she came to see me in military detention, saw me beaten and watched my driver killed and women raped, she said you know what, if it is you that we have to sacrifice for the liberation of this nation, so be it. Since then she is harder than me.”
Barbie recently told Ugandans that they are lucky to have Bobi Wine, a man she says is a blessing to the nation.
Bobi Wine even suggested that in the short time he has been in active politics, some of his children have had to grow faster than they are physically aged. He said: “It has been an impact with loss of comforts, freedom. [For example], my children have had to grow up much faster than their ages. My youngest child is now seven but she knows things which probably she would learn at 16. There has been a lot of discomforts.”
He went on to note that the discomforts suffered in the struggle are compensated by the hope in the future, the awakening of the population and the showers of love he and his family enjoy.
“We have received a lot of love from people. Much as the other families are suffering and many times I feel embarrassed as if we receive a lot of love because many other families are suffering. But we get love from people simply because of the decision that I made,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bobi Wine has also answered the question on whether he will stand for president in 2026 or not. (Read His Response in Story and Video HERE).
