Opposition politician Medard Lubega Ssegona has raised concerns about leadership within the opposition following the reported departure of Robert Kyagulanyi from Uganda.
Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine and president of the National Unity Platform, announced over the weekend that he had fled into exile, citing fears for his safety after spending more than two months in hiding.
In a message shared on social media, he claimed security forces had been searching for him but failed to locate him because members of the public shielded him.
Reacting to the development, Ssegona said the move has left the opposition appearing disorganised and without clear leadership.
“The entire Opposition seems to be leaderless. Now that there is an acting President for the leading opposition party, let’s see what she does,” Ssegona said while appearing on NBS TV this morning.
He noted that Kyagulanyi is not the first opposition figure to leave the country, drawing comparisons with Kizza Besigye.
“Hon. Kyagulanyi is not the first Opposition leader to flee the country. Dr. Besigye in the past also fled the country. The difference is that Dr. Besigye’s group remained united behind him,” he added.
Ssegona also reflected on his own experience during a past political crisis, revealing that he had once been advised to leave the country for his safety but chose otherwise.
“During the Kayunga crisis, a senior military officer advised me to flee the country and assured me that he would provide a safe passage for me. I didn’t take that route. I instead decided to drive to CID and report myself,” he said.
While acknowledging the risks Kyagulanyi may have faced, Ssegona stressed that such a decision should be clearly communicated.
“If Hon. Kyagulanyi believed that his life was under threat, he shouldn’t experiment with his life. If he is going into exile, he should declare that he is going into exile,” he said.
Kyagulanyi, who came second in the 2026 presidential election with 2,741,238 votes (24.75 per cent) against 7,946,772 votes (71.65 per cent) for Yoweri Museveni, has maintained that his departure is not a sign of surrender.
He said the move is part of a broader strategy to push for political change, including engaging the international community and advocating for sanctions against the Ugandan government and its alleged supporters.
According to Kyagulanyi, operating from abroad will allow him and his supporters in the diaspora to better organise and plan future political action.
In his absence, the party’s deputy president, Lina Zedriga, who was recently released from prison, has assumed the role of acting president.
