HABARI DAILY I Ugandans and supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) on Sunday marked the first “National Bobi Wine Day”, turning the inaugural observance into a grassroots show of solidarity with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, commonly known as Bobi Wine, who remains in exile.
The initiative, which organisers intend to hold on the first Sunday of every month, brought together NUP supporters through displays of party colours, community activities, music, social media campaigns and other forms of public expression in support of Kyagulanyi.
Unlike conventional political rallies, the day was designed around individual participation and small community gatherings, allowing supporters to demonstrate their loyalty to the opposition leader without necessarily converging for a single political event.
At the NUP headquarters in Makerere-Kavule, Kampala, supporters turned up in significant numbers to purchase branded merchandise and red T-shirts bearing Kyagulanyi’s image. Across the country, supporters were encouraged to wear red clothing and other NUP colours as a visual demonstration of solidarity.
The campaign was also promoted by NUP leaders and mobilisers in different constituencies. Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake urged supporters to wear NUP colours and “turn the day red”, while Kalungu East MP Kiruluuta Yusuf Nkeretanyi and Rubaga North MP Abubakr Kawalya also rallied their supporters to participate in the initiative.
The observance was not restricted to political activities. Organisers and supporters encouraged acts of kindness and community service, including visiting sick people, the elderly and vulnerable members of society, as well as supporting comrades in prison.
This approach gave the day a broader social character, with supporters portraying Kyagulanyi’s political message as one connected to ordinary Ugandans and their communities rather than limiting the occasion to partisan mobilisation.
The first National Bobi Wine Day also took a strong digital and cultural dimension. Supporters flooded social media platforms with photographs, videos and messages celebrating what they described as the values of freedom, justice and democratic change.
Bobi Wine’s music was played as supporters shared some of his most popular songs and past political speeches. Hashtags including #BobiWineDay and #NationalBobiWineDay were used to amplify the celebrations and connect participants across different parts of Uganda.
Musicians also joined the campaign. Nina Roz Kankunda, a musician and former parliamentary contestant, encouraged supporters to wear Kyagulanyi-branded shirts, play his music and participate in the solidarity activities. Fellow musician King Saha also posted a message celebrating Kyagulanyi’s political leadership.
The observance extended beyond Uganda, with members of the Ugandan diaspora and activists abroad joining the initiative. Organisers hope that the international participation will become a regular feature as the first-Sunday tradition takes root.
The timing of the inaugural event was significant because Kyagulanyi has remained outside Uganda for several months following the January 15 presidential election. He left the country in March after spending about two months in hiding, initially describing his departure as temporary and indicating that he intended to return after completing engagements abroad.
In April, Kyagulanyi said he was preparing to return and told supporters that Kampala would be the final destination of his international tour. NUP officials subsequently spoke about preparations for his return.
However, five months after leaving Uganda, he remains abroad.
In an August interview with French newspaper Le Monde, Kyagulanyi described himself as an opposition leader in exile, saying threats to his life had prevented his immediate return. He has nevertheless remained politically active, meeting politicians, rights advocates and Ugandans in the diaspora as part of an international campaign challenging the conduct and outcome of the January election.
For NUP supporters, the first National Bobi Wine Day therefore provided an opportunity to keep his political presence visible despite his physical absence from Uganda.
By combining red clothing, community service, music, political speeches and social-media activity, the initiative sought to transform personal support for Kyagulanyi into a recurring grassroots movement.
Although Kyagulanyi had not publicly commented on the inaugural observance by Sunday morning, the turnout and online activity suggested that supporters intend to make the first Sunday of every month a regular occasion for reaffirming their allegiance to the opposition leader and the political ideals associated with his movement.
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