Bobi Wine, Uganda’s main opposition leader, injured in altercation with police

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has been injured in the leg in a confrontation with a policeman, but his party says he is recovering in hospital.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) said the pop star-turned-politician had been hit by a tear-gas canister – initially it was thought his wound was caused by a bullet.

The incident occurred while the NUP leader was on his way to visit his lawyers on Tuesday in Bulindo, which is about 20km (12 miles) north of the capital, Kampala

A statement from the police said officers on site reported that the opposition leader had stumbled while getting into his vehicle.

Earlier, the X account of Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, first broke the news, saying: “@HEBobiwine has been shot in the leg by police in Bulindo.”

Footage was shared on social media by journalist Solomon Serwanjja, who was at the scene, showing the 42-year-old opposition leader being helped from a building with a bleeding injury from his left shin.

Later NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said X-ray reports showed “there were some fragments from a tear-gas canister embedded in Bobi Wine’s leg”.

An investigation would be conducted to clarify the facts, a police statement stated.

The NUP leader is due to undergo surgery to remove the fragments, medical experts at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala, told journalists.

The police say Bobi Wine had attended an event in Bulindo and afterwards “he and his team moved out of their cars and embarked on a procession up to Bulindo town.

“However, the police advised against it. Despite their guidance, he insisted on proceeding… closing the road, leading to police intervention to prevent the procession.

“During the ensuing altercation, it is alleged that he sustained injuries,” the statement said.

At least four NUP members were arrested during the altercation, the party said.

Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye condemned the “horrible outcome” of what he termed “usual police aggression against political opposition”.

Bobi Wine was first elected to parliament in 2017, and ran against President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 election, which was marred by state repression.

He is popular among young people and has been arrested – and beaten up – numerous times.

The country’s security forces have a long history of pursuing political opponents of President Museveni, who has been in power for almost 40 years.

Additional reporting by the BBC’s Swaibu Ibrahim in Kampala.