Ugandans In Niagara Canada Protest Against Attempted Assassination of Bobi Wine, Call for Global Attention

Ugandans in the Niagara region, Canada, organized a protest to condemn the recent attack on Bobi Wine, Uganda’s opposition leader and president of the National Unity Platform (NUP). The demonstration, held on 4th sept 2024, was spearheaded by Mr. Samuel Luggya, the Niagara NUP coordinator, along with his secretary Mr. Kakande Umar and media handler Hassan Ssemakula. The mobilization efforts were led by Ochan Denis and Darlington Zziwa, who urged Ugandans in the diaspora to unite in solidarity with their comrades back home.

The demonstration was triggered by an alleged assassination attempt on Bobi Wine’s life, following a violent confrontation with Ugandan security forces in Kampala. On Tuesday, Wine was injured by what he described as a tear gas canister fired at him as he exited his lawyer’s house. The canister exploded, injuring his leg and requiring minor surgery to remove fragments. Wine, who lost the 2021 presidential election to long-time incumbent Yoweri Museveni, is now recovering at home and confirmed he is “out of danger.”

Addressing local media during the Niagara protest, Luggya stressed that the demonstration’s main purpose was to raise international awareness about the growing threat to Uganda’s democratic future. “The attempt on Bobi Wine’s life is an attempt to silence all Ugandans seeking freedom and justice,” Luggya said, holding a sign that read, “Hands Off Our President.”

The protesters carried banners demanding justice and chanting slogans like “Bobi Wine Must Be Protected” and “Stop the Oppression in Uganda!” They condemned the brutal actions of Ugandan security forces and called on the international community to intervene before the situation worsens in the run-up to the 2026 elections.

Wine’s National Unity Platform had earlier released footage showing him being helped into a car after the incident. The party alleges that security forces surrounded their convoy, firing live bullets and tear gas. Although Ugandan police claimed Wine stumbled and injured himself while entering his vehicle, NUP leaders have called the incident a deliberate assassination attempt.

“Whether it’s bullets or tear gas, Bobi Wine and every other Ugandan have the right to move freely and peacefully,” Hassan Ssemakula, the media handler for NUP Chapter Niagara Falls, remarked during the protest. “This continuous assault on unarmed civilians must stop.”

Ugandan activists in Canada have long been vocal about political repression in their home country. Many of them, like Darlington Zziwa, who helped organize the demonstration, have experienced first-hand the brutal crackdown on political opposition in Uganda. Zziwa reiterated that the international community must act now to prevent further violence in Uganda ahead of the 2026 elections.

In the wake of these developments, Sarah Bireete, a prominent human rights activist and director of the Center for Constitutional Governance in Kampala, questioned whether the incident was a “curtain-raiser for 2026 election violence.” Her concerns echoed through the Niagara protest, where Ugandans feared that this attack marked the beginning of a more dangerous political environment in Uganda.

The Niagara NUP Chapter urged all Ugandans in the diaspora and their allies to stay vigilant and continue organizing in defense of democracy, free speech, and the rule of law in Uganda. “This is not just about Bobi Wine; it’s about every Ugandan who believes in change and wants a better future for their country,” said Mr. Kakande Umar, the chapter’s secretary.

As Uganda gears up for another election cycle, the growing resistance from Ugandans in Canada and abroad sends a clear message: the world is watching, and the struggle for democracy in Uganda is far from over.