Kampala, Uganda | URN | The National Unity Party President, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, was on Friday night honored with the Heroes of Democracy Award by the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI).
“We are proud to announce the recognition of Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) for his commitment to democratic principles, civic participation, and the defense of fundamental rights. Through personal sacrifice and principled leadership, he has inspired millions to believe in the power of peaceful civic engagement and accountable governance,” said Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI).
RDI says its mission is to unmask and confront the alliance of dictators threatening freedom around the world.
The two-time presidential candidate used the global stage to condemn what he called the oppression of Ugandans under President Yoweri Museveni.
He said the occasion was to urge the United States of America to prioritize human rights over what he described as “diplomatic convenience”.
The ceremony featured fellow honourees, including former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton and Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Kyagulanyi, while stating that he loves Uganda, lashed out at President Museveni’s administration, describing it as a 40-year “gun rule that has left the Pearl of Africa in misery”.
Speaking to a packed hall in New York, Bobi Wine emphasized that he was not attending as an exile, but as a “spokesperson for a country of nearly 50 million people who refuse to give up.”
He painted a grim picture of the current state of Uganda, saying that while he shared smiles in a beautiful hall, abductions and killings were continuing unabated back home.
“We are a country of people that dream against dreaming, that hope against hope,” he told the audience. “I am here representing those who are suffering.”
His speech focused on the plight of Ugandan women.
Bobi Wine listed several names of women who have faced extreme state violence, including his wife, Barbie Itungo Kyagulanyi, who he alleged was stripped and filmed by soldiers during a raid on their home.
He also mentioned Olivia Lutaaya, who was arrested for allegedly wearing a National Unity Platform (NUP) t-shirt, and Edith Katende, the late wife of a party spokesperson, Mufumbiro, whom he claimed died while her husband was denied the chance to nurse her or attend her burial.
Turning his attention to the international community, particularly the United States, Bobi Wine issued a direct plea for a shift in foreign policy.
He urged Western powers to enact laws to slap sanctions on human rights violators in Uganda.
“We are not asking you to come and help us,” he clarified, addressing accusations that he is an agent of neocolonialism.
“We are only asking you to stop sponsoring our oppression. Don’t allow them to enjoy the money they steal from our countries while our hospitals and schools are run down.”
Before receiving the award, the “Ghetto President” hit the hall with his music, breaking into song with the lyrics “We’re fighting for freedom” and “Everything’s gonna be fine,” which sent the audience into cheers.
Bobi Wine fled the country after the January 2026 election, which he claims he won.
According to the Uganda Gazette Extraordinary published on Friday, February 6, 2026, Kyagulanyi garnered 2,741,238, while Museveni got 7,946,772 votes (71.6%) of all the votes cast on January 15, 2026.
He has since said that he would be returning to Uganda without specifying the date. “I intend to go back to my country,” he said.
