Bobi Wine Draws Massive Crowd in Mbarara — Rally Marred by Interceptions and Arrests

November 8, 2025 Hafswa Nalwoga

Mbarara City, UGANDA

Thousands of supporters poured Friday 7.November 2025 into the streets of Mbarara City today as National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu — popularly known as Bobi Wine — staged a high-energy campaign rally that organisers hailed as a show of growing momentum for the opposition ahead of the 2026 polls. The day’s events, which included a procession through several parts of the city and a main address at Mbarara High School playground, were punctuated by confrontations between security forces and members of Kyagulanyi’s campaign convoy and reports of multiple arrests.

Scenes on the ground

Supporters wearing red berets and NUP regalia lined the main thoroughfares, bringing traffic to a standstill as Kyagulanyi’s motorcade made its way through the city. Video and live streams posted by local broadcasters showed packed streets, a sea of red at the rally grounds, and an electric atmosphere as the candidate took to the stage to deliver his message on jobs, governance and national unity.

Security response and arrests

Shortly after leaving one venue, Kyagulanyi’s entourage was reportedly intercepted by security operatives en route to a second rally in Bwizibwera Town Council. Multiple supporters — described in local reporting as the campaign’s foot soldiers — were detained during confrontations that witnesses said included security officers searching vehicles and making arrests. Kyagulanyi himself accused the security services of ambushing his team and of attempts to curtail the campaign’s movement; police linked some arrests to an earlier incident in northern Uganda in which officers alleged they had been attacked.

A Monitor report said the interception resulted in “an unspecified number” of arrests and that campaign organisers accused security of switching off internet services to conceal the operations. Police later issued a statement tying today’s detentions to prior alleged assaults on officers, a justification that has featured repeatedly in clashes between NUP campaign teams and security personnel during the tour.

What Kyagulanyi promised

Addressing the crowd, Kyagulanyi reiterated key points from his 2026 manifesto — including job creation, anti-corruption measures and a pledge to restore civil liberties — and appealed for unity across regional and tribal lines. Party officials accompanying him said today’s Mbarara turnout vindicated their strategy of campaigning in western Uganda, including districts long seen as government strongholds.

Reactions from local leaders and residents

Local NUP organisers told The Urban Gazette that mobilisation had been “robust” and that the party planned to open more offices across the sub-region to solidify its presence. Some local civic leaders and business owners expressed concern about disruptions to trade and transport during the procession but acknowledged the scale of public interest in the candidate’s visit. At least one district official criticised elements of the rally for failing to coordinate movements with security, saying organisers should have notified authorities to avoid clashes; party officials countered that excessive restrictions and aggressive responses by security forces had escalated tensions.

Context and outlook

Kyagulanyi’s Mbarara stop is part of a larger nationwide “unity tour” that has seen both large turnouts and repeated friction with security services. Analysts say the rallies are testing grounds for the opposition’s organisational strength and a measure of popular sentiment outside Kampala, but they also risk further confrontation if coordination with authorities remains strained. The NUP has indicated it will continue scheduled visits in the coming days, with another major event planned in neighbouring Ntungamo.