Published on 09/05/2025
By Hakim Kyeswa
Bobi Wine’s recent letter to the elders of Ankole and Kigezi, dripping with sudden concern about ethnic tensions, would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous. Here is a man who has built his political career on tribal innuendo and divisive rhetoric now posing as Uganda’s unifying figure. The audacity is staggering.
For years, Bobi Wine has weaponized tribalism when convenient, reducing complex national issues to simplistic “Banyankole versus the rest” narratives. His rallies have featured not-so-subtle ethnic jabs, his social media posts laced with regional dog whistles, and his political strategy reliant on stoking resentment. Yet now, in a breathtaking display of hypocrisy, he writes to Ankole and Kigezi elders warning about sectarianism?
This letter isn’t about national unity—it’s about political survival.
Having alienated large sections of Ugandan society with his tribal rhetoric, Bobi Wine now seeks rehabilitation through performative outreach. His sudden interest in Ankole and Kigezi elders comes only after realizing his divisive tactics have backfired. Where was this statesmanship when he needed Banyankole votes? Where was this unifying message when his supporters chanted tribal slogans?
The letter’s content is equally disingenuous. Bobi Wine accuses Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba of ethnic incitement without providing a single verifiable example. Meanwhile, his own record of tribal statements is well-documented. This isn’t just hypocrisy—it’s political gaslighting on a national scale.
Ugandans should see this letter for what it is: not a genuine appeal for harmony, but a cynical attempt to rebrand a failing political project. True leaders don’t alternate between tribal demagoguery and unity rhetoric based on opinion polls. They don’t attack entire communities then pretend to defend them.
If Bobi Wine truly wants to combat sectarianism, he should start by:
- Publicly apologizing for his past tribal remarks
- Disciplining supporters who promote ethnic division
- Presenting concrete policies rather than ethnic scapegoating
Until then, this letter remains what it is—a desperate politician’s attempt to rewrite his own history while continuing to play the very tribal games he claims to oppose.
Uganda deserves better than leaders who see tribes first and citizens second. We’ve had enough of politicians who treat ethnic identity as a weapon to be drawn or sheathed based on political convenience.
The path to national unity isn’t through performative letters, but through consistent, principled leadership that lifts up all Ugandans—regardless of tribe. On that measure, Bobi Wine’s sudden conversion to national unity rings hollow indeed.
