Music star turned grassroot politician stands as the strongest candidate challenging the 76 year old former rebel leader who seized power in 1986 and has held onto it since. The rebel commander was just 41 years old when he seized power, promising Ugandans security, a stronger economy and a better future. Bobi is the major and most popular candidate that has summoned the courage to stop the longtime President Yoweri Museveni’s bid to win a sixth term. Bobi had done more than enough despite a harrowing experience during electoral campaigns.
Before his entry into politics, Bobi Wine was a self styled “ghetto president”. He grew up in Kamwokya, a slum in the centre of Kampala. It was when he was still in Kampala that he began making music, producing a number of reggae, pop and hip hop hits. But his music became increasingly political over time. In songs such as Rise Up and Freedom, he complained about corruption and called for change.
He didn’t go for the presidential seat first not because he was not popular then, he started as member of parliament in 2017 representing Kyadondo East, winning by a landslide in a bye election. He went there to gather influence and to have a voice before forging ahead. In a series of bye elections he campaigned for candidates who defeated hopefuls from the NRM.
Bobi have been singing for almost 20 years. He was very popular with his lyrics and styles, he has dropped numerous change messages through his ‘rab dhaba’ music style, So it’s as if he has been campaigning, all his musical career. His song Tuliyambala Engule (We Shall Wear the Victor’s Crown) has become one of the campaign’s unofficial anthems. Bobi have been aiming the seat for long, that’s the reason why he started from the grassroot.
He is different from Sowore and some other accidental politicians that cannot win a single polling unit not to talk of ward during election. Bobi wine party NUP has structures everywhere unlike Sowore a structureless politician. Bobi Wine party have members in the parliament, they won most of the bye elections in Uganda, Bobi Wine also emerge through bye election.
He established an independent tallying centre to check against potential rigging. Whereas some of the noisemakers don’t have polling unit agent, in my polling unit Sowore party don’t have polling unit agent, there is nobody to check if he was rigged out or not. You can only see him monitoring election on social media.
Bobi started his political career as member of parliament, his party have won numerous elections in Uganda. Most of our Youth in Nigeria don’t want to start from the grassroot, they want to be president overnight without proper permutation and adequate calculation. Bobi was not planning any revolution, he came out to defeat Museveni through the ballot not protesting on daily basis to disrupt public peace and gain unnecessary attention.
Upon our agitation for effective leadership and good governance in Nigeria, none of our politicians have single handedly ruled for 30 years even during military era there was change of leadership. Uganda deserve change in leadership there is no doubt about that, Museveni needs to step aside for another person to come on board. Its crystal clear that seeking re-election for another sixth term in office is a rape on African democracy.
It is widely believed that Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is being lined up to take over from him. Kainerugaba is currently the commander of the Special Forces, which is tasked with protecting the president. The era of Museveni needs to end. Museveni want to turn Uganda to a monarchical state.
Finally, Sowore and his cohorts needs to have a rethink, they need to go to the grassroot like the way Bobi Wine is presently doing now in Uganda, there is no polling unit on social media, election can only be won through the ballot not media ranting.
Giwa Murtala Omotola- Moore
