Bobi Wine Rallies Mbarara, Calls for Unity and a “Protest Vote” Against Museveni

MBARARA, Uganda – National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, concluded a vibrant rally at the Mbarara High School playground on [Date of Rally], delivering a potent message of national unity and a collective stake in the future of Uganda to what he described as “change hungry masses.”

The rally, a key stop in his ongoing campaign trail, focused on rallying the people of the Ankole subregion to reject what he labeled as the government’s “divisive rhetoric.”

“We have preached to the change hungry masses the need to embrace unity as we aspire to build a country that will be favorable for all,” Bobi Wine stated following the event. He directly addressed the crowd, urging them not to be “swayed by the divisive rhetoric peddled by the regime and its enablers.”

Central to his address was the argument that all Ugandans, regardless of region or background, share a common plight and a common future. He emphasized that the people of Ankole have an “equal stake in the country” and are “equally affected by the unfair policies orchestrated by the regime.”

This message appears to be a strategic effort to consolidate support across traditional ethnic and regional lines, framing the 2026 election as a national struggle against a common adversary.

The rally proceeded without the reported confrontations with security forces that have marred previous campaign events for the opposition leader. The peaceful gathering allowed the NUP to effectively communicate its core platform to supporters.

With the event in Mbarara concluded, Bobi Wine announced his team was “now off to the next campaign venue,” signaling a continued and vigorous push across the country.

The rally’s tone and messaging were crystallized in the hashtags used by the NUP camp: #ANewUgandaNow, #ProtestVote2026, and #PeoplePowerOurPower. These slogans underscore a campaign strategy built on inspiring hope for a new beginning, channeling discontent into a decisive electoral outcome, and mobilizing grassroots support as its primary source of strength.