Bobi Wine

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, publicly known as Bobi Wine, is a Ugandan musician and opposition politician who leads the National Unity Platform and contested Uganda's 2021 and 2026 presidential elections.

Star Mover ranking

Not ranked in News yet

0 points

Sign in to Move Up

Profile

About Bobi Wine

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Uganda · Politician, Musician · 1 affiliation

Show full profile Hide full profile

Known for: Ugandan opposition politics; Ugandan presidential elections; Ugandan popular music
Country: Uganda

Politician
Musician

At a glance

He is identified as president of the National Unity Platform, Uganda's leading opposition party in the 2026 presidential election.
He won the 2017 Kyadondo County East parliamentary by-election as an independent candidate with 77.76% of valid votes.
He placed second in the officially published results of Uganda's 2021 and 2026 presidential elections.
In March 2026, he said he had left Uganda after going into hiding following the disputed presidential election.

Public identity and party leadership

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu is widely known by his performing name, Bobi Wine. A musician as well as a politician, he is identified by the National Unity Platform as its president, while Associated Press reporting during the 2026 election described him as the party's leader.

Entry into elected politics

Kyagulanyi entered Parliament after winning the Kyadondo County East by-election as an independent candidate on June 29, 2017. Uganda's Electoral Commission recorded 25,659 votes for him, representing 77.76% of valid votes.

Presidential campaigns

Kyagulanyi contested Uganda's 2021 presidential election and received 3,631,437 votes, or 35.08% of valid votes, in the Electoral Commission's final published results. He ran again as the National Unity Platform candidate in 2026; Electoral Commission-announced results placed him second with 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72%. He rejected the 2026 result as fake and alleged that the process was unfair, and the reviewed sources do not establish a final judicial resolution of that dispute.

Education and professional background

Daily Monitor reported in August 2024 that Kyagulanyi said he had graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cavendish University. The report also described him as previously recognized for a Music, Dance and Drama degree from Makerere University.

Post-election circumstances

In March 2026, Kyagulanyi said he had left Uganda after a period in hiding, and subsequent Associated Press reporting described him as living in exile. His precise current location is not established by the reviewed sources. Human Rights Watch separately reported intensified action against the National Unity Platform after the January election, including mass arrests of supporters and the forced disappearance of two senior party leaders; that account is the organization's assessment rather than a judicial finding.

Affiliations

National Unity Platform President present

Timeline

2017-06-29 Won the Kyadondo County East parliamentary by-election as an independent candidate, receiving 25,659 votes, or 77.76% of valid votes.
2021-01 Contested Uganda's presidential election and received 3,631,437 votes, or 35.08% of valid votes, in the Electoral Commission's final published results.
2024-08-08 Said he had graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cavendish University, as reported by Daily Monitor.
2026-01-15 Contested Uganda's presidential election as the National Unity Platform candidate; Electoral Commission-announced results placed him second with 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72%.
2026-03-14 Said he had left Uganda after a period in hiding following the January 2026 presidential election.

Additional verified details

Current context

The National Unity Platform identifies Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu as its president; Associated Press also described him as the party's leader during 2026 election coverage. The party website is a primary, self-descriptive source, with contemporaneous independent reporting supporting the leadership identification.
Associated Press reporting described Kyagulanyi as having gone into exile after leaving Uganda in March 2026. The reviewed sources do not establish his precise current country or locality of residence.
Human Rights Watch reported that Ugandan authorities intensified actions against the National Unity Platform after the January 2026 election, including mass arrests of supporters and the forced disappearance of two senior party leaders, according to the organization. This is a Human Rights Watch assessment and report, not a judicial finding.

Biographical facts

Daily Monitor reported on August 8, 2024, that Kyagulanyi said he had graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cavendish University; the report also described him as previously recognized for a Music, Dance and Drama degree from Makerere University.
Kyagulanyi won the Kyadondo County East parliamentary by-election as an independent candidate in 2017.