The head of the Ugandan army and son of President Yoweri Museveni has claimed that dozens of opposition supporters were killed and thousands arrested following Uganda’s disputed general election.
In a series of posts on Friday, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba said 30 supporters of the opposition had been killed, while more than 2,000 people were arrested in the aftermath of the January 15 vote.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine remained in hiding, accusing security forces of raiding his home shortly after the election. He described the vote as a “brazen theft” and called on supporters to protest what he says was a stolen mandate.
According to Uganda’s Electoral Commission, President Museveni, 81, secured a seventh term in office with 72 percent of the vote, while Wine received 25 percent. However, African election observers and international rights groups criticised the process, citing widespread repression, arrests of opposition figures and an internet shutdown during voting.
“We have arrested more than 2,000 thugs that Kabobi thought he could use,” Kainerugaba wrote on X, using a derogatory nickname for Wine. “So far, we have killed 30 NUP terrorists,” he added, referring to Wine’s National Unity Platform party.
The 51-year-old army chief, who has openly expressed interest in succeeding his father, is known for his provocative and often inflammatory social media posts. Earlier this week, he also threatened to hunt down Wine, drawing condemnation from rights groups.
Among those detained is opposition lawmaker Muwanga Kivumbi from Uganda’s Butambala region, where some of the worst election-day violence was reported. Kivumbi told AFP that security forces killed ten members of his campaign team after raiding his home.
Police, however, claimed the victims were shot after attempting to burn down a vote-counting centre and a police station. An opposition lawyer, Erias Lukwago, said more than 600 people had been arrested during post-election protests, with many detainees denying the charges brought against them.
