Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has said he temporarily left Uganda after spending nearly two months in hiding following the disputed 2026 Ugandan general election.
In a statement addressed to Ugandans and friends of Uganda, the National Unity Platform president claimed that security forces raided his home shortly after the election in which Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner.
Kyagulanyi alleged that the election outcome did not reflect the will of the people.
“Two months ago, Museveni yet again usurped the will of the people of Uganda and declared himself president at gunpoint,” he said.
The opposition leader said the military later raided his residence, forcing him to flee and go into hiding to avoid arrest. Over the following weeks, he claimed security forces conducted searches across the country.
“Over the past two months, the regime has looked for me everywhere,” Kyagulanyi said, adding that homes of colleagues and allies were allegedly raided while roadblocks and vehicle spot checks were mounted as part of efforts to locate him.
Kyagulanyi said he managed to evade arrest because supporters sheltered him during the period he remained underground. He credited ordinary citizens for helping him stay out of reach of security forces.
However, Ugandan authorities have previously dismissed claims that the security operations were targeting the opposition leader, saying checkpoints mounted around parts of the country were part of routine traffic enforcement operations.
In his statement, Kyagulanyi announced that he had briefly left the country to engage with international partners before returning to continue what he described as the struggle for democracy.
“Today, I am announcing my brief exit from the country to handle important work,” he said, adding that he would meet allies abroad before returning to Uganda to continue his political activities.
Kyagulanyi, a former musician turned politician, remains one of the most prominent challengers to President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986. The 2026 presidential election saw Museveni declared the winner with about 71.6 percent of the vote, while Kyagulanyi received about 24.7 percent, results that the opposition has disputed.
