The Member of Parliament, who is 36, has inspired millions of Ugandans, especially the youth, to challenge Gen. Museveni as he's never been done before, under the non-partisan "People Power," slogan. An estimated 75% to 80% of Uganda's 40 million people is under the age of 35.
Bobi Wine, who now symbolizes youth uprising against despotism in Africa, is expected to fly out of the U.S. on Tuesday. He had been in this country for specialized treatment for injuries suffered after being tortured by agents of Uganda's Special Forces Command (SFC), a feared brutal armed force that reports to Gen. Muhoozi Kaenerugaba, who is the son of Uganda's U.S.-backed dictator Museveni.
On his return trip to Uganda, Bobi Wine, whose given name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is expected to be accompanied by media crews from CNN, the BBC, Al Jazeera and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), according to organizers of a welcome reception who spoke at a press conference in Uganda.
After he lands at Entebbe Airport the plan is for Bobi Wine to travel to Kampala and then later attend a live prayer-mass and thereafter address his supporters.
Meanwhile, feeling the weight of the global pressure and fearing a large demonstration against his human rights abuses planned for September 26 outside the United Nations by Diaspora Ugandans, Gen. Museveni has reportedly canceled his plans to address the U.N. General Assembly. Some Ugandans believe that Museveni also fears that in his absence, given the political volatility, the military could turn against him and block his return.
The welcome reception organizers, and Bobi Wine himself in a video posting on his Facebook page, say the regime plans to infiltrate the welcoming crowd with agents dressed in the iconic red T-shirts of the People Power Movement to disrupt planned peaceful event. The alleged infiltrators would be planted to commit various criminal activities in order to provide the regime with the pretext to unleash violence, the organizers claim. According to the welcome organizers who spoke at the press conference, another plan the regime is considering is to immediately arrest Bobi Wine when he lands at Entebbe Airport, and fly him off -- presumably in a helicopter-- for a meeting with Gen. Museveni.
Gen. Museveni, who is officially 74 but is believed to be as old as 78 or 80, is facing an unprecedented barrage of international condemnation, including from the U.S., which backs his dictatorship with about $1 billion annually in financial and military support.
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