Bobi Wine Does Not Hold Back in Scathing Rebuttal to CJ Alfonse Owiny-Dollo

The rebuttal, published on his official social media accounts, addresses the judicial system’s alleged role in political persecution.
The National Unity Platform (NUP), principal Robert Kyagulanyia, has served a sharp and direct response to remarks made by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, pouring all his grievances against the Judiciary's perceived head-in-the-sand approach to dealing with government repression.
The rebuttal, published on his official social media accounts, addresses the judicial system’s alleged role in political persecution.
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Mr Kyagulanyi, a popstar turned politician who is professionally known as Bobi Wine said "the judiciary you lead is complicit in the political persecution and eventual death of Muhammad Ssegirinya.
Former Kawempe North MP Ssegiyinya died last week after years with health battles since his release from a prolonged remand.
He had been arrested in September 2021 along with fellow legislator Allan Ssewanyana of Makindye West and charged with terrorism over murders that took place in Masaka months earlier.
In the wake of Ssegirinya's passing on, it was revealed that the legislator had been battling with chronic health complications for which he failed to secure timely bail to treat.
"Like I said at his burial, the judiciary and everyone else who conspired to keep Honourable Ssegirinya in jail, even when he was clearly dying, all have his blood on their hands," Bobi said.
His comments come after the Chief Justice’s statement to Daily Monitor, where Owiny-Dollo defended the judiciary's role in his legal battles, claiming that "we saved you twice" when the courts granted Bobi Wine bail in the past.
In his post, Bobi Wine refuted Owiny-Dollo’s claims, accusing the judiciary of complicity in the political persecution of opposition figures, including the recent death of Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya.
Bobi Wine emphasized that the judiciary’s refusal to grant Ssegirinya bail while he was critically ill had contributed to the MP’s death, a stance he reiterated during Ssegirinya's burial.
Bobi Wine pointed out that while the Chief Justice had chosen to respond to his comments on Ssegirinya’s death, Owiny-Dollo had remained silent on other pressing legal issues, such as the ongoing trial of civilians in military tribunals.
He questioned why Owiny-Dollo had not responded to the four-year-old petition challenging this practice, which he described as a grave injustice to many Ugandans detained without trial.
The opposition leader also raised several other instances in which the judiciary, according to him, had shown bias in favor of the ruling government.
Citing the case of author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who was denied medical treatment after being tortured for criticizing the regime, Bobi Wine criticized the judiciary for failing to deliver justice in such cases.
"You boast that the judiciary you lead ‘saved me’ when it granted me bail, and we resumed our presidential campaigns, but that can not be further from reality," Bobi Wine wrote.

He went on to highlight several contradictions in the judicial process, including the denial of bail to Ssegirinya while other political figures, allegedly from the ruling party, were granted swift release despite facing serious charges.
Bobi Wine further accused Owiny-Dollo of using his judicial position to protect the interests of the government, particularly in the aftermath of the contested 2021 elections.
He claimed that the Chief Justice’s actions in dismissing the election petition were a clear abuse of power, while also pointing to the persecution of a judge who dared to challenge the court's decisions.
Addressing the Chief Justice directly, Bobi Wine expressed the frustration of many Ugandans with a judiciary that he described as inconsistent and influenced by political considerations.
He called for judicial reform and urged Owiny-Dollo to put an end to the trial of civilians in military courts, a move that he believes would restore some trust in the system.
"Ugandans are tired of a judiciary that works like a dead clock: only correct twice a day," Bobi Wine concluded.
"They are demanding for a judiciary that is consistent and impartial in its dispensation of justice and interpretation of the law no matter what suspect appears before it and what they are accused of!"
The fiery response by Bobi Wine has reignited public debate on the independence and integrity of Uganda’s judiciary, with many questioning its ability to deliver justice impartially.