Nabuguzi. Kiwanuka
The state of our affairs has left many young people desperately seeking greener pastures. Some have managed to flee the country, while others still languish in despair, hoping for better days.
For years, we hadn’t seen anyone with a heart that truly understands the plight of Ugandan youth. Bobi Wine, coming from the ghetto and speaking a language that resonates with many young people, sparked a light many of us didn’t know we could ever carry. He not only rose quickly through the political ranks but also allowed us to witness his physical transformation – one that began bridging both worlds: the ghetto and those who once dismissed him. It was after that transformation that both groups, the ghetto youth and the uptown kids, met in him. In Bobi, many young Ugandans find their stories reflected.
In 2916, I was fortunate to share the same space with him at the late Carol Atuhaire’s car wash fundraiser. A friend and I were washing a car – just the two of us – when I cracked a joke. Unbeknownst to us, Bobi had joined us at the car. He responded to the joke with a playful “Ogambye ki?” and burst out laughing. He was chill. While some celebrities came and sat in the tent, he was out washing one car after another.
When he stood for MP, in 2017, I wanted him to win even though I wasn’t from his constituency. Bobi Wine presents himself as someone who aligns with the needs of ordinary Ugandans, especially the young people he continues to influence.
I remember people urging him to run for president. I also recall an uncle (his friend) calling to tell me Bobi planned to run. He was worried his friend’s life would become chaotic. I didn’t see that day coming. I was skeptical. I knew it was just a joke but in 2021, I voted for the person whose story mirrored parts of my own.
Politics is always a gamble. I saw that even in the school prefects we voted for. And at the risk of sounding like I condone violence, the rowdiness of many of his supporters reflects what suppressed emotions look like. For so long, they’ve been taught to mask their feelings and not hope for anything. You see that transformation he made right before our eyes – year after year? Every young person wants that. But then again, show me a Ugandan political party that has no chaos.
Ssentamu didn’t just rise from nowhere when he entered politics. His advocacy for social change and a better Uganda has always been present in his music. Max Weber’s theory of authority describes charismatic authority as the kind where people follow leaders not because of laws or tradition, but because of personal charm, charisma, and the ability to connect. Bobi fits that description. Perhaps not because that is the president we need but cultivated hope in the hearts of many. And whether or not he becomes president, the question remains: who else speaks our language, moves like us, and dares to carry our hope?
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