Museveni: Bobi Wine’s party brought Kenyan Gen Zs to protest in Uganda
By Faith Lagat, March 1, 2026Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has accused opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and his National Unity Platform (NUP) of attempting to bring Kenyan Gen Z activists into Uganda to organize riots and destabilize the country.
Speaking on NBS TV in an interview at Nakasero State Lodge on March 1, 2026, Museveni recounted meeting young Kenyans Gen Z he described as self-proclaimed “experts in organising riots,” reportedly sent by NUP as resource persons to train Ugandan youth in protest tactics.
“Recently, I met Gen Z from Kenya; they came and saw me here at Nakasero. They had come here because they are experts in organising riots. So a noob had brought the Kenyan Gen Z as resource persons for riots,” he said.
Museveni said some local youth rejected the plan and brought the visitors to meet him. He reportedly lectured them on prioritising economic development over unrest, emphasising that issues like corruption, unemployment, and production challenges should be addressed through constructive activities rather than street protests.
“Even if you are not corrupt, you will be stuck,” he said, stressing the importance of job creation, production, and market access for Uganda’s youth.
Focus on economic priorities
The president highlighted Uganda’s economic progress, noting production surpluses in key commodities such as maize, milk, and other goods, and stressing the need for East African integration to expand markets.
He emphasised the importance of four main sectors: commercial agriculture, artisanship, manufacturing, and services for economic growth. Museveni noted that 70% of Ugandan homesteads now participate in the money economy, up from 32% in 2013, attributing the improvement to programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and wealth creation initiatives.
Museveni contrasted this with what he called the opposition’s reliance on external funding and “nomadic crowds” to stage protests.
He praised intelligence and public cooperation for averting planned disruptions, linking these incidents to Kenyan Gen Z-style demonstrations during 2024. The president also addressed protest management, rejecting caning as archaic while defending the use of teargas and water cannons over live ammunition.
Regional tensions
Museveni’s comments echo his December 31, 2025, New Year address, in which he claimed Uganda narrowly avoided Kenya-like unrest through vigilant security and policing.
The remarks have stirred cross-border tensions, with critics accusing Museveni of using the claims to suppress dissent ahead of elections.
Human rights activists, including Kenyan Bob Njagi, have suggested coordinated crackdowns across borders, citing Ugandan forces’ alleged presence during Kenya’s 2024 Gen Z protests.