Latest news with #Mutwe
First Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Ugandan Opposition Member Held by Army Chief Charged and Remanded Firstpost Africa
Ugandan Opposition Member Held by Army Chief Charged and Remanded | Firstpost Africa | N18G Ugandan Opposition Member Held by Army Chief Charged and Remanded | Firstpost Africa | N18G Tensions rise in Uganda as opposition leader Bobi Wine accuses the government of abducting and torturing his chief bodyguard, Eddie Mutwe. The country's army chief—and President Museveni's son—Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly admitted to detaining Mutwe, sparking outrage with threats made on social media. Mutwe appeared in court limping and was charged with robbery. With general elections looming in 2026, rights groups warn of an intensifying crackdown on opposition voices. As security forces reportedly raid opposition offices, questions grow over the future of democracy in Uganda and whether President Museveni is paving the way for a dynastic succession. See More
TimesLIVE
12-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine to seek presidency, chides West over rights
Wine criticised Western governments for not denouncing what he said were escalating human rights violations, including abductions, illegal detention and torture of his supporters and officials. Wine did not single out any country for criticism. "Some leaders in the West are complicit in our suffering. They are here to crack their [business] deals and they don't care about human rights," he said. "If they were standing for the values that they profess, then they would be castigating all these gross human rights violations." Uganda is considered by the West as an ally in the fight against jihadists and has deployed troops in Somalia. Uganda's justice minister said this week that Eddie Mutwe, an activist in Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP) party, who also doubles as his personal body guard, appeared to have been tortured while in captivity. Museveni's son and head of the military, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said he had kept him in his basement and that he was using him as a punching bag. After being missing for a week Mutwe was on Monday produced in court, charged with robbery and remanded. Wine said Mutwe told him he had been electrocuted, waterboarded and beaten. Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituma did not respond to a Reuters call for comment on the allegations. Reuters contacted a spokesperson for Uganda's defence forces seeking comment from Kainerugaba. He did not respond.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine to seek presidency, chides West over rights
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Ugandan opposition leader and pop singer Bobi Wine said on Friday he plans to run for president for a second time and criticised the West for not speaking out more against "gross human rights violations" in the country. Wine, 43, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, will be challenging long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, 80, who is widely expected to seek re-election. "Yeah, I've expressed my availability on behalf of my team," Wine said in an interview with Reuters when asked whether he would stand again in the east African country's next presidential election, due in January. Participation in the election, he said, will also be "a fighting opportunity to further undress and expose the regime and to further galvanise the people of Uganda to rise up and free themselves." Wine came second in the last election in 2021 but rejected the outcome, alleging ballot staffing, falsification of results, beatings and intimidation by soldiers and other irregularities. Government and electoral officials denied the accusations. Wine criticised Western governments for not denouncing what he said were escalating human rights violations, including abductions, illegal detention and torture of his supporters and officials. Wine did not single out any country for criticism. "Some leaders in the West are complicit in our suffering. They are here to crack their (business) deals and they don't care about human rights," he said. "If they were standing for the values that they profess, then they would be castigating all these gross human rights violations." Uganda is considered by the West as an ally in the fight against jihadists and has deployed troops in Somalia. Uganda's justice minister said this week that Eddie Mutwe, an activist in Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP) party, who also doubles as his personal body guard, appeared to have been tortured while in captivity. Museveni's son and head of the military, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said he had kept him in his basement and that he was using him as a punching bag. After missing for a week Mutwe was on Monday produced in court, charged with robbery and remanded. Wine said Mutwe told him he had been electrocuted, waterboarded and beaten. Police spokesman Rusoke Kituma did not respond to a Reuters call for comment on the allegations. Reuters contacted a spokesperson for Uganda's defence forces seeking comment from Kainerugaba. He did not respond. Wine said that if was elected, his priorities would include restoration of political and civil rights and a crackdown on corruption.
Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Ugandan opposition member held by president's son shows signs of torture
NAIROBI - A Ugandan opposition activist, who President Yoweri Museveni's son said he had been holding captive in his basement, appears to have been tortured, the East African nation's justice minister said. Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is Museveni's eldest child, said last week that he had detained Eddie Mutwe, the chief bodyguard for opposition leader Bobi Wine. Kainerugaba wrote on X that he had captured Mutwe "like a grasshopper" and was "using him as a punching bag". Mutwe was presented in court on Monday and remanded to custody on robbery charges, his lawyer said. In a statement released late on Monday, Justice Minister Norbert Mao said Mutwe appeared in court "in a visibly weak condition and showing signs of having been tortured". "Bringing illegally detained, brutalised and tortured suspects before the courts of law is an abuse of judicial processes," said Mao, the leader of an opposition party who was appointed justice minister in 2022. He did not say who was responsible for Mutwe's condition but called on the courts to deal swiftly with the opposition figure's case. The National Unity Platform (NUP) - the party to which Mutwe belongs - said he went missing after being grabbed by uniformed armed men near the capital Kampala on April 27. On Thursday, the Uganda Human Rights Commission, a government body, ordered Kainerugaba to release him. Reuters contacted a spokesperson for Uganda's defence forces seeking comment from Kainerugaba. He did not respond. Mutwe's lawyer, Magellan Kazibwe, said his client had told him he was tortured daily and electrocuted while being detained. "He said immediately after his arrest he was detained in a home - it was a person's private home - and that they pushed him into a basement," Kazibwe told Reuters. "He said the people who were torturing him, he could not identify them because they had covered their faces." Kainerugaba, who is widely viewed as being groomed to succeed his 80-year-old father, frequently makes incendiary comments on social media. In January, he wrote on X that he wanted to behead NUP leader Wine, Uganda's most prominent opposition leader. Museveni has led Uganda since 1986 and is expected to stand for reelection next January. His opponents and human rights activists have regularly accused Museveni's government of wide-ranging abuses, including abductions and illegal detentions, allegations he denies. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
TimesLIVE
06-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Ugandan opposition member held by president's son 'shows signs of torture'
A Ugandan opposition activist who President Yoweri Museveni's son said he had been holding captive in his basement appears to have been tortured, the East African nation's justice minister says. Uganda's chief of defence forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni's eldest child, said last week he had detained Eddie Mutwe, the chief bodyguard for opposition leader Bobi Wine. Kainerugaba wrote on X he had captured Mutwe "like a grasshopper" and was "using him as a punching bag". Mutwe was presented in court on Monday and remanded to custody on robbery charges, his lawyer said. On Monday justice minister Norbert Mao said Mutwe appeared in court "in a visibly weak condition and showing signs of having been tortured". "Bringing illegally detained, brutalised and tortured suspects before the courts of law is an abuse of judicial processes," said Mao, the leader of an opposition party who was appointed justice minister in 2022.
