Uganda’s Bobi Wine taken to unknown location in army helicopter, party says

National Unity Platform says opposition presidential candidate seized from his home a day after tense election.Published On 16 Jan 2026Bobi Wine‘s political party says the Ugandan opposition presidential candidate has been “forcibly” removed from his home and taken to an “unknown destination” in an army helicopter.The National Unity Platform made the announcement in a social media post on Friday, a day after Ugandans cast their ballots in a tense election that took place amid an internet blackout.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Polls close in Uganda presidential election as internet blackout continueslist 2 of 3At least seven killed overnight in Uganda after tense presidential electionlist 3 of 3Polls close in Uganda election amid soaring tensions, internet blackoutend of listThere was no immediate comment from the Ugandan authorities.Wine, the country’s top opposition figure, had challenged longtime President Yoweri Museveni in an election campaign that the United Nations said was marred by “widespread repression and intimidation”.Reporting from the Ugandan capital, Kampala, early on Saturday, Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi said the internet shutdown has made getting information about Wine’s whereabouts difficult.Soi said a National Unity Platform official reached by Al Jazeera could only confirm that “men who appeared to be military and other security agents jumped over the fence” of Wine’s home.But the official could not say whether Wine was at home or had been taken away.Soi added that Al Jazeera has been unable to reach the Ugandan military or the police to confirm what happened.She noted that shortly after Thursday’s vote, Wine had alleged in a social media post that “massive ballot stuffing” was reported across the country.He had also called on the Ugandan people to “rise to the occasion and reject the criminal regime”.Wine’s remarks came as Museveni’s government has been accused of leading a years-long crackdown on opposition politicians and their supporters.