Ugandan opposition leader Kyagulanyi Ssentamu said he fled to the United States to save his life but eventually he would return home to face President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian from Washington DC, Ssentamu, also known by his stage name Bobi Wine, said: “I had to save my life to be able to speak to the world and later, I will return to my country for the regime to do whatever they want to me in the full glare of the world. My fight is in Uganda.”
Bobi Wine, under the National Unity Platform, was one of seven opposition candidates that challenged Museveni for the presidency on 15 January. Museveni won a seventh term with 71.65% of the vote, while Bobi Wine came second with 24.72% in a disputed election.
Bobi Wine said it was not an election but “a military operation” that resulted in his house arrest, while his wife and family members were tortured.
Major general Muhoozi Kainerugaba – Uganda’s military commander and son of the president – has used social media to issue direct, inflammatory threats against Bobi Wine, including threats to “behead” him or “castrate” his associates.
About his escape, he said he was assisted by some in the military and police who also felt oppressed under the Museveni establishment.
“There are many oppressed men and women in uniform and these are the people who helped me to escape,” he said. “That’s why, to me, the issue is about the Ugandan people versus their oppressor.”
Now in the US, Bobi Wine is calling on international pressure for sanctions against the Ugandan strongman.
The US has since criticised the Ugandan general elections as a “hollow exercise” marred by violence, intimidation and irregularities, failing to meet democratic standards.
US officials have condemned the suppression of opposition and called for accountability in the wake of President Museveni’s disputed seventh term, with some lawmakers calling for a review of security aid.
On why he decided to go to the US, instead of a country in Africa for safety, he said solidarity in the region had been wavering.
“Even those in solidarity with us have found safety in silence and complacency. It’s only the likes of former Botswana president Ian Khama who speak openly about what’s happening in Uganda. Otherwise, many African leaders prefer diplomacy to democracy,” he added.
In January, Khama said Museveni’s victory “followed a typical authoritarian playbook”.
While the late 1970s dictator Idi Amin is arguably the most eccentric to come out of Uganda, Wine said, compared to Museveni, he was not as bad.
“Museveni is 10 times worse than Amin!” he said.
Museveni has won disputed elections since 1996, when he first ran for president after ruling unelected for 10 years.
Senzo Mchunu speaks after 12 cops arrested over R360m Medicare contract:
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who has been placed on special leave, believes the arrest of 12 police officers allegedly linked to the awarding of the R360 million Medicare 24 Tshwane District contract to tender kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is only the tip of the iceberg.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian on Wednesday, Mchunu said neither KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s July 6 bombshell briefing nor evidence before the Madlanga commission could be credited for the arrests.
“This thing emanates from an article I read on 20 March 2024 about the allegations of tender fraud involving Matlala’s company, Medicare 24. I then asked National Commissioner General Fanie Masemola about this because I was afraid it would create problems. But he [Masemola] said he was told by the supply chain that everything was above board.”
Mchunu said that four days after raising the issue with Masemola, he convened a closed meeting with senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials from the supply chain management and internal audit divisions.
“The meeting was led by Masemola and we received a briefing from the supply chain who said there was nothing wrong with the contract. But an internal audit, on the other hand, said there were things that were flagged during the awarding [of the contract] and that they were investigating.”
Mchunu told the M&G it was at that point that he had instructed that no funds be released until the investigation had been concluded. The contract was eventually cancelled after the investigation raised red flags and found that it had been awarded illegally.
The 12 senior police officers, along with a Medicare 24 director, were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the R360m police health contract awarded to Matlala’s company.
The arrests were carried out by the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), which falls under the National Prosecuting Authority. Matlala, who is widely regarded as a feared underworld figure, is believed to have bribed senior police officers in order to secure the lucrative contract.
It has also emerged that Matlala allegedly cultivated influence among senior police generals through money, gifts and other favours, helping him secure other lucrative SAPS contracts too.
Much of the explosive information has surfaced through testimony before the Madlanga commission, which is investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system, political interference and criminality.
The commission was triggered after Mkhwanazi’s now-infamous July 6 briefing in which he alleged underworld interference in police affairs after the disbandment of the political killings task team (PKTT), a unit investigating politically linked murders.
But Mchunu insists it was his intervention, together with Idac’s work, that ultimately stopped Matlala’s company in its tracks.
“I was correct in directing the national commissioner to review and cancel the contract. The investigation and subsequent cancellation process started way back in 2024. The 12 senior generals are not the only ones who will be arrested. There will be more,” he said.
Mchunu became the first senior politician to be placed on special leave after Mkhwanazi alleged that the disbandment of the PKTT was intended to protect the so-called Big Five cartel, allegedly led by Matlala.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe conceded that the Matlala saga had exposed serious weaknesses in the SAPS’s internal controls.
“This is a loophole we have identified. It is an eye-opener and we need to do better on our checks and balances,” she said. “Somewhere, somehow we dropped the ball. We can’t have someone with a huge criminal background like Matlala’s being given such a big contract.”
SA golf fans make LIV Golf debut at Steyn City unforgettable:
LIV Golf marked a historic first as it hosted the first tournament in Africa in Steyn City, South Africa.
Organisers had previously been sceptical about bringing the event to the continent, questioning whether South Africa’s golf fanbase could deliver strong attendance. Their gamble paid off: 100?000 fans turned out from 19 to 22 March, creating an electric atmosphere.
The organisers were so impressed they confirmed that the tournament would return to Steyn City from April 22 to 25 in 2027.
The tournament combined individual and team competition, with the local favourites, Southern Guards GC — led by Louis Oosthuizen and featuring Branden Grace, Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel — battling the Crushers GC, captained by Bryson DeChambeau, alongside Anirban Lahiri, Paul Casey and Charles Howell III.
The fashion didn’t disappoint, either. Fans showed up in their best golfing outfits, perfect for a sunny day of golf, braving the occasional rain.
The Southern Guards GC were neck-and-neck for the lead against the Crushers GC team consisting of Bryson DeChambeau — the team captain from the US, Anirban Lahiri from India, Paul Casey from England and Charles Howell III from the US.
Despite competing against the local heroes, the South African crowd “adopted” DeChambeau for his energy and willingness to sign autographs, rain or shine. Other stars, including Spanish golfer Jon Rahm and the Australian fan favourite, Cameron Smith, turned the quiet greens of Steyn City into a loud, international face-off.
A standout moment came on the final 18th hole. As DeChambeau prepared a difficult “up and down” to force a playoff against Rahm, the crowd spontaneously sang the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Instead of being distracted, he paused to absorb the moment — a gesture that went viral online.
In a sport that usually demands silence, the stadium-like atmosphere was a complete opposite from that tradition.
DeChambeau went on to win the playoff against Rahm, claiming the individual title and leading Crushers GC to the team victory. Southern Guards GC finished a close second.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, a golf enthusiast, attended and presented the individual trophy to DeChambeau.
Overcome with emotion, DeChambeau reflected on personal challenges and the influence of his father, Jon DeChambeau, who died in November 2022 after a long battle with kidney disease and diabetes.
“It’s been a tough few weeks. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. But I can tell you that having these three great people up here and my caddie and the team around me really helped me persevere through tough moments,” he said.
He reflected on the perspective he had gained during the tournament. “Golf is a fickle game. You work so hard at it your whole life and then you realise golf is just golf.
“There’s a lot more to life than just golf. I was just praying all day — praying to God to give me the perseverance to move forward and keep looking forward.”
He recalled a childhood memory of attending a charity golf event with his father, where legends like Arnold Palmer, Annika Sörenstam and Nancy Lopez, encouraged him.
“It was the most nerve-racking moment in my entire life as an 11-year-old. I remember my dad took me out there. Peter Jacobsen was giving me a hard time from the side and the whole crowd was watching.
“My hands went numb. I hit three drives right down the middle anyway. You could lay a blanket over them at that time. And I remember walking off, and Arnold Palmer, Annika Sörenstam, Nancy Lopez, all of them, signed my hat and all said the same thing: ‘We’ll see you out there one day.’
“That’s why I do it. Because I hope to inspire somebody like that. I never forgot it. To have those legends say that to a kid … it changed everything for me.”
Finally, he addressed the record-breaking crowd. “I’ve just got to say I love everybody. Thank you for your support. South Africa was unbelievable. I mean, it got to be the best LIV event we’ve ever had.”
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