Ugandan opposition leader and pop star Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has officially declared his intention to run for president in the country’s 2026 general election, scheduled for January.

Wine, 43, will once again face long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, who is expected to seek re-election at the age of 80.

The opposition leader came second in the controversial 2021 presidential election, which he and his supporters alleged was marred by widespread fraud and state-sponsored violence.

Describing the upcoming polls as a “fighting opportunity,” Wine pledged to take a firm stand against corruption and what he termed as entrenched authoritarianism in the East African nation. He also condemned what he called the West’s silence on human rights violations in Uganda.

If elected, the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader has promised to restore political freedoms and intensify the fight against corruption.

• DW Africa