Ugandan Opposition Leader Bobi Wine injured by Tear-Gas Canister in Police Clash
Bobi Wine, the prominent Ugandan opposition leader and former pop star, was injured in a leg clash with police in Bulindo on Tuesday. Initially feared to be caused by a bullet, it has been confirmed that the injury resulted from a tear-gas canister, according to the National Unity Platform (NUP), Wine’s party.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, was en route to visit his lawyers when the altercation occurred. Footage from the scene, shared by journalist Solomon Serwanjja, shows Wine being assisted with a bleeding left shin.
The NUP later revealed that X-ray scans detected fragments from the tear-gas canister embedded in his leg.
Police reported that Wine had stumbled while getting into his vehicle, but the NUP disputes this, alleging that Wine and his team were involved in a procession that led to a confrontation with authorities.
The police statement indicated that the procession, which was advised against by law enforcement, resulted in the intervention and subsequent injury to Wine.
Four NUP members were arrested during the incident.
Wine is currently receiving treatment at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala and is set to undergo surgery to remove the canister fragments.
The police have pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the injury.
Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye has condemned the incident, denouncing it as another instance of police aggression against political dissent.
Wine, a well-known critic of President Yoweri Museveni, has faced frequent violence and arrests in his political career.
