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Uganda's main opposition leader Bobi Wine was forcibly removed from his home by military forces in a helicopter on Friday, his political party announced, one day after a contested presidential election marked by allegations of violence and voting irregularities.
The National Unity Platform said in a statement on social media that an army helicopter landed at Wine's compound and took him to an unknown location. The party reported that his private security guards were violently assaulted during the operation. Wine had earlier reported being under house arrest after police surrounded his residence following Thursday's vote.
The dramatic removal came as incumbent President Yoweri Museveni appeared headed toward a decisive victory, with the Electoral Commission reporting he had captured 73.7 percent of the vote compared to Wine's 22.7 percent, with nearly 81 percent of ballots counted as of Friday. Final results were expected by early Saturday afternoon.
Violence erupted in multiple locations across the country on election day and its aftermath. Muwanga Kivumbi, a member of parliament representing Wine's party in the Butambala district of central Uganda, told news agencies that security forces killed 10 of his campaign workers after raiding his home. His wife, law professor Zahara Nampewo, said the victims were hiding in the garage when forces fired through the door.
Kivumbi stated that after the killings, military personnel removed evidence of the dead, leaving only pools of blood behind.
Local police offered a sharply different account of the incident. Police spokeswoman Lydia Tumushabe said a group she described as NUP supporters had planned to attack and burn a local vote-counting center and police station. She said an unspecified number were "put out of action" and 25 others were arrested and charged with malicious property damage.
Authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown during the election period, severely limiting the flow of information about events across the country. The blackout, which began Tuesday, prevented independent verification of many reported incidents.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, accused the government Thursday of massive ballot stuffing and attacks on party officials under cover of the internet shutdown. The 43-year-old former musician, who calls himself the "ghetto president" in reference to the Kampala slums where he grew up, has emerged as Museveni's most significant challenger in recent years.
Museveni, 76, is seeking to extend his hold on power after nearly four decades as Uganda's leader. The former guerrilla fighter seized control in 1986 and has since maintained total control over state institutions and security forces, systematically crushing opposition challenges throughout his tenure.
Election day was plagued by significant technical difficulties. Biometric machines used to verify voter identities malfunctioned in numerous locations, and ballot papers went undelivered for hours in many areas. A heavy security presence was deployed across the nation.
The United Nations human rights office stated last week that the elections were occurring in an atmosphere characterized by widespread repression and intimidation directed at opposition figures. International observers and human rights organizations have long questioned the fairness of electoral processes in Uganda under Museveni's rule.
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