Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was discharged from the hospital after being hit by a tear-gas canister in the leg during a confrontation with police. The incident occurred when Wine had gone for a meeting with supporters in Bulindo, and police fired a tear-gas canister that exploded and injured him. The mayor of Kampala confirmed that Wine underwent surgery to remove fragments of the canister and is now stable. Wine’s lawyer suggested that police deliberately targeted him to harm him.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has been a vocal critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s government, accusing it of stifling the opposition. Wine challenged Museveni in the 2021 election and has faced multiple instances of being put under house arrest and having his party rallies dispersed forcefully. The police claimed they were trying to stop Wine and his team from marching down a road, resulting in the altercation. The NUP spokesperson also claimed that operatives in civilian clothes had been trying to access Wine’s hospital room, which the hospital declined.
This incident adds to the long-standing tensions between the opposition and the government in Uganda, with human rights activists decrying the crackdown on dissenting voices. Wine’s supporters have accused the government of targeting him and using excessive force against protesters. An investigation is expected to be carried out into the events leading to Wine’s injury.
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