Ugandan opposition leader and presidential candidate Bobi Wine has raised alarm over what he says is a coordinated plan by the state to arrest him ahead of polling day, warning that the move is meant to justify widespread arrests, violence, and the deployment of the military across the country.

In a statement shared on X on Friday, January 2, 2025, the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader said the plan mirrors past election-related violence and is intended to intimidate supporters and suppress dissent.

Bobi Wine said the information he received points to a deliberate strategy to provoke chaos before the vote, creating grounds for a heavy security crackdown. He linked the alleged plan to previous incidents that left many Ugandans dead, arrested, or forcibly disappeared during election periods.

“I’ve learnt from security circles of a plot by the desperate regime to have me arrested before polling day to create a pre-emptive massacre akin to what they did in November 2020,” he wrote

He said such an arrest would not be isolated, but part of a wider operation designed to clear the way for mass arrests and enforced disappearances across the country, all under the cover of restoring order.

“That way, they will be able to carry out massive arrests and abductions and get justification to deploy the military in every spot,” the statement reads

Bobi Wine went further to name specific tactics he says are being prepared on the ground, including the use of security officers to deliberately trigger confrontations in opposition strongholds.

“Among other plans, is for that brutal police officer called Bravo to provoke a confrontation in Mbale City or the neighbouring districts so that they get the justification,” he stated

He also warned that civilians could be used to stage violence and falsely implicate the opposition, a move he said is meant to tarnish the image of his party and turn public opinion against it.

“The other plan is to deploy goons, dress them in our Party colours, and project us as violent,” Bobi Wine wrote

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the opposition leader urged his supporters to remain calm and disciplined, stressing that violence would only serve the interests of those seeking to derail the democratic process.

“We urge our people to remain peaceful and non-violent but very assertive,” he stated

The statement comes at a time of heightened political tension in Uganda.

His warning also adds to growing concerns among human rights groups about the use of force, arbitrary arrests, and the shrinking space for political activity as the country heads toward the polls.