Renowned political figure Robert Kyagulanyi Ssetamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has come under fire for reportedly failing to attend the royal wedding of Busoga’s Kyabazinga, HRH Gabula Nadiope IV, and his bride, Jovia Mutesi. Bobi Wine claimed that he did not receive an official invitation from the kingdom, despite being verbally informed about the event by the Prime Minister of Busoga Dr Muvawala.
Bobi Wine, who had returned from an overseas trip in time for the wedding, expressed his disappointment, stating that he had purchased a suit specifically for the occasion, only to find that there was allegedly no official invitation.
“I was abroad, I bought the suit for the Royal wedding, only to discover, that no official invitation had been sent, I inquired among my people, and I learned that I was not officially invited,” said Bobi Wine.
However, sources close to the situation claim that the National Unity Platform (NUP) leadership received but intentionally ignored the official invitation due to the wedding’s association with the NRM’s bigwigs.
The criticism against Bobi Wine has intensified, with some Busoga subjects viewing his absence as a sign of disrespect towards their Kyabazinga.
“I know for a fact that, an official invitation was sent to the NUP leadership, I know that their reason for not attending was because they are aware that, Muhoozi Kainerugaba was going to be in attendance and due to Bobi Wine’s disliking of him, he ordered his team not to attend,” stated the sources
According to certain Busoga residents, Bobi Wine’s decision not to attend was interpreted as an avoidance tactic, fearing potential clashes with the provided security and seeking to avoid confrontation, implying he was not invited. Additionally, there are allegations that Bobi Wine deliberately misrepresented the situation, ginning up propaganda to assert his relevance.
“We have discovered this man Bobi Wine enjoys causing chaos and violence with the goons he moves around with, collected from Kampala slams, since there was enough security provided at the wedding, he chose to stay away, knowing what they are capable of, he instead created propaganda claiming he was not invited,” stated the subjects.
The royal wedding, which took place on November 18, 2023, stands as a significant event in Busoga’s history, marking the first such ceremony since 1956. Bobi Wine’s alleged absence and subsequent explanation have drawn sharp criticism. Busoga residents express disappointment and criticism at what they perceive as a deliberate attempt to create attention and relevance through falsified claims.
