At the highly anticipated presidential debate, Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine , delivered a powerful address portraying a nation “at crossroads” and calling for a complete reset of Uganda’s governance.
Speaking with measured confidence, Bobi Wine began by thanking the moderators and fellow candidates before emphasizing that he stands not for the elite but “for the common people.”
“As a person who comes from the ghetto and rose to represent the nation at the highest level, I cannot take any further pride than that,” he told the country.
“63 Years of Independence, 40 Under One Man”
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In one of his sharpest lines of the night, Bobi Wine accused President Yoweri Museveni—who did not attend the debate—of presiding over a prolonged decline of the nation.
“We had independence 63 years ago, and 40 of those years have been covered by one man who has reduced our country to a failed state,” he said.
He argued that Uganda’s youth, who make up the majority of the population, made their political decision long ago—only for that will to be “stifled” by a captured state machinery.
A Country Burdened by Debt and Division
Painting a picture of a nation on the brink, Bobi Wine highlighted Uganda’s economic crisis and demographic pressures:
- Over 1.5 million babies born annually
- Nearly half of the national budget devoted to debt servicing
- Growing divisions that threaten national cohesion
Yet he insisted the people remain “committed and ready to unite.”
Call for a ‘New Uganda’
The opposition leader framed his campaign as a transformational project aimed at reclaiming the country for its citizens.
“What we promise is a new Uganda… a nation that has been completely messed up and needs to start afresh.”
He claimed that all institutions have been captured by those in power, stripping citizens of their voice.
“Ugandans don’t have a vote, they don’t have a voice, and they don’t have power over their nation.”
Bobi Wine said his movement intends not only to liberate ordinary people but even those in government who have become “captives of a system sliding downward.”
A Direct Challenge to President Museveni
The National Unity Platform leader lamented President Museveni’s absence from the debate, saying he had hoped to confront him face-to-face.
“I wanted to hear from him straight—what is he protecting after 40 years? The potholes? The rotten hospitals? The broken schools? His right to torture citizens?”
He insisted the current president belongs to Uganda’s past, while the debate focused on the future.
A Message to the Youth: “Take Back Your Destiny”
Bobi Wine ended his statement with an emotional appeal to the young generation he says he represents.
“The new generation is committed to changing their country and taking back the right to determine their destiny.”
Declaring himself ready to lead that change, he closed with:
“I am ready and committed to lead the charge to change Uganda. So help us, the Almighty God.”
