Summary:

• The co-director of the documentary “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” Moses Bwayo, fled Uganda ahead of the film’s release and is seeking political asylum in the US. The documentary, covering Uganda’s 2021 election and opposition leader Bobi Wine’s journey, has garnered an enthusiastic response. Despite facing challenges, including arrest and being shot with a rubber bullet, Bwayo emphasizes the importance of journalists working freely. The film prompts viewers to question the impact of foreign donor funds and highlights Bobi Wine’s determination to run in the 2026 election despite ongoing challenges.

The co-director of a newly released documentary featuring Ugandan popstar turned opposition leader Bobi Wine has had to escape his home country ahead of the film’s debut. Ugandan filmmaker Moses Bwayo is currently seeking political asylum in the United States due to his involvement in “Bobi Wine: The People’s President.” The documentary, examining the lead-up to Uganda’s controversial 2021 election, has already premiered in the US and UK.

Bwayo, aged 34, shares that he faced various challenges while working on the project, including the withdrawal of his journalist accreditation, arrest, brief imprisonment, and even being shot in the face with a rubber bullet. Despite these obstacles, he expresses amazement at the enthusiasm generated by Wine’s presidential campaign, describing it as a compelling story that needed to be told. The film covers events from Wine’s election as an MP in 2017 to the alleged torture he endured in the following year, along with his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi and their four children.

While reflecting on the difficulties he encountered, Bwayo emphasizes the importance of journalists being able to work freely to hold the government accountable. He believes his return to Uganda is contingent on a change in the regime and expresses hope that this will happen soon.

The documentary, released through National Geographic and available on Disney+, has garnered an “incredible” response according to Bwayo. He describes it as a “historical document” capturing a time when a significant portion of Uganda’s population aspired for a different political path. The filmmakers collected 4,000 hours of footage over two years and faced challenges such as internet shutdowns and house arrest during the last Ugandan election.

Bwayo’s co-director, Christopher Sharp, notes that the film aims to prompt viewers to question whether foreign donor funds are inadvertently supporting the current situation in Uganda. Both directors stress that citizens in donor countries should scrutinize how their taxpayers’ money is being utilized. Bwayo concludes by highlighting that the issues portrayed in the film extend beyond Uganda, pointing out the global trend towards totalitarian regimes in various countries. Despite ongoing challenges in Uganda, Bobi Wine, now 41, plans to run again in the 2026 election, as revealed by Bwayo in the documentary. Wine remains determined to continue speaking out despite attempts to silence him.

Additional Reporting by Irish Times