Bobi Faces Supporters’ Criticism Over Challenging Museveni Again Without Electoral Reforms

A section of National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters has taken to social media to express their disappointment and frustration with party president Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine’s decision to stand against President Museveni in the 2026 presidential election without pushing for electoral reforms.

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Led by vocal Wilson Kagombe and Hillary Sseguya alias Justice Hunter, a US-based Ugandan, the supporters are questioning Bobi’s wisdom of participating in an election with the same electoral commission he personally said, would announce different results from the actual ones.

In his X post on July 30, 2025, Kagombe reminded Ugandans of Bobi Wine’s previous stance on the issue, where he stated that participating in an election without reforms would be like hoodwinking Ugandans and legitimizing Museveni’s dictatorship. “How can I stand amid people and rally them to go and vote? Yes, people will vote, but it’s like I would be hoodwinking them because even if they cast their vote, the Electoral Commission will announce different results,” Bobi Wine had said.

Hosted shortly after the chaotic 2021 elections, Bobi who emerged second added, “How can I then start telling people that we are going into an election when the situation about the electoral laws is still the same? Election in Uganda, do not make sense at the moment, and it would be foolhardy on my part to start talking about participating in an election. It would indicate that we are also into the job of helping Museveni perpetuate his dictatorship by legitimizing him, and showing the world that there is democracy in Uganda.”

What Changed?

In a very hard-hitting post, Kagombe wondered what has changed since then, given that the electoral commission is still headed by Justice Simon Byabakama, who was appointed by Museveni and approved by Parliament.

In his view, Kagombe said situation has instead escalated since Bobi Wine’s previous statement, with the army showing an increased appetite to involve itself in elections.

“With the same EC headed by the same Justice Byabakama appointed by President Museveni, approved by Parliament… With the increased army appetites to involve in the elections, on top of other enabling electoral laws, one can and rightly say, the situation has only escalated than needed improvement!” Kagombe emphasized.

Mpuuga Reforms

Furthermore, Kagombe brought up the issue of ex-Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga’s electoral reforms, which Bobi Wine strongly opposed, arguing that would be the silver bullet in changing the electoral cycle largely to the benefit of the most popular opposition leader in the country who is Bobi Wine.

“I insist, Mathias Mpuuga Electoral Reforms that the President Bobi vehemently opposed were going to change the electoral cycle largely to the benefit of the most popular opposition leader in the country, but alas, the unprincipled hate of the proponent messed the whole matter for majority Ugandans longing for the change,” he said.

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Hillary Sseguya also weighed in on the issue, saying, “are we [NUP] going to participate in despot Museveni’s 2026 sham elections without pushing for any electoral reforms first? Isn’t it going to be business as usual? No reforms, no elections, should be Bobi Wine’s demand. Otherwise, kunga, kalonde, kakuume…, will remain slogans!”

The criticism follows Bobi Wine’s launch of his official poster to be used in the 2026 presidential campaign against Musevenion July 30, 2025.

The Mpuuga Constitutional and Electoral Reforms’ Brief:

1. Amendment of law to allow Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners’ rights to vote
2. Reducing the size of parliament from the current 529 MPs to 295 MPs
3. Restoration and entrenchment of presidential term limits
4. Presidential candidates to have run mate who shall be the deputy president
5. Introduce a second tier of Parliament with 39 MPs from the original 39 districts of Uganda. The deputy president shall be its head
6. Changing the mode of the constitution of the Electoral Commission
7. Rethinking the Decentralization model of running local government
8. Changing the mode of declaration of presidential elections from the centralized system to the district level
9. Amendment from the first-past-the-post to a proportional representation system to balance up Parliament
10. Allow ordinary voters to challenge in court, the presidential election results