Dr. Stella Nyanzi criticises Bobi Wine’s unopposed re-election as NUP president

• Drawing parallels between Bobi Wine, Museveni, Mao, and Akena, Nyanzi challenged the repetitive nature of Uganda’s political leadership.
• Stella Nyanzi’s comments, however, drew backlash from critics who pointed out her silence on similar patterns within FDC, a party she formerly supported. 

Exiled academician and outspoken activist Dr. Stella Nyanzi has mocked the re-election of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, as president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) for a second term.

In a tweet that quickly went viral, Dr. Nyanzi criticized what she called a cycle of political repetition among Uganda’s major parties. She also questioned when there will be a female leader of any of the political parties in Uganda.

“Bobi Wine was re-elected president of NUP, just as Norbert Mao was re-elected president of DP, just as Akena Obote was re-elected president of UPC, just as dictator Yoweri Museveni was re-elected president of NRM. Monkey-do the same thing over & over again. Woman president???”

Bobi Wine, who has led NUP since 2020, was re-elected unopposed, a fact that Dr. Nyanzi used to challenge Uganda’s broader political culture of centralized leadership.

The former Kyadondo East legislator assumed NUP’s leadership for a second term in a questionable delegates conference that took place at the party’s leadership academy in Kamwokya.

Meanwhile some social media users have been quick to call out the irony in Nyanzi’s post.

They reminded the controversial failed politician that Dr. Kizza Besigye, former president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) — a party she openly supported before it’s struggles — also ran unopposed multiple times during his leadership.

“Stella should be the last person to speak on this. Besigye led unopposed three times and she never said a thing,” one user replied.

Others questioned whether her comments were rooted in a larger call for gender-inclusive leadership, or simply another personal jab at Bobi Wine, with whom she has had tense exchanges in the past.