KAMPALA, Uganda — The Uganda Human Rights Commission dispatched a team Friday to the residence of Robert Kyagulanyi, the National Unity Platform presidential candidate widely known as Bobi Wine, after reports surfaced that police had broken into his home and detained him.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke denied the allegations. Nevertheless, several NUP officials said they had been blocked from contacting or visiting their party leader.
Pauline Nansamba, the commission’s director of compliance and legal services, told Uganda Radio Network the UHRC acted after receiving multiple reports of Kyagulanyi’s alleged arrest and being unable to obtain information from security agencies. She said the team was sent to verify the situation firsthand.
Restricting or detaining presidential runners-up is not uncommon in Uganda, noted Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana, executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative. He said runners-up in past elections have frequently faced similar treatment.
