By Peter Luzinda
Kampala, Uganda
State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi has sparked fresh political controversy after urging opposition leader Bobi Wine to quit frontline politics and instead seek government-backed leadership training or employment.
The minister made the comments in an interview with the Daily Monitor, where he criticised the leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and questioned whether its top figures possess the skills necessary to challenge for national power.
“They Need Training” — Balaam Says
Barugahara said Bobi Wine and fellow opposition leaders would be “better served” by enrolling for courses at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi, a government-run ideological and political school typically attended by ruling party officials.
“They need to learn leadership, patriotism and love for their country,” Barugahara said, adding that NUP should request official enrolment if they are serious about “maturing politically.”
He argued that government institutions could train opposition figures on “how to win elections without relying on propaganda,” a comment widely interpreted as dismissive of Bobi Wine’s brand of mobilisation.
Offer of Jobs Raises Eyebrows
The minister went further, suggesting that Bobi Wine and others might be more useful to Uganda if they worked within government rather than opposing it.
Barugahara said he would be open to supporting NUP leaders who wished to “seek opportunities” within state systems, a remark critics saw as an invitation for them to abandon their political struggle.
NUP Pushes Back
The National Unity Platform dismissed the comments as an insult and a sign of what it called the government’s obsession with weakening the opposition.
NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi accused the minister of hypocrisy, pointing out that many of the activists seeking amnesty or pardon were arrested by the same state now presenting itself as their saviour.
“The government arrested our supporters, preferred charges against them, and detained them without evidence. Now they want us to clap when they release people who should never have been jailed in the first place,” Ssenyonyi said.
He added that if Barugahara wants to be helpful, he should push for political prisoners to be released unconditionally rather than offering new employment pipelines.
Election Tensions Loom
The exchange comes weeks after a tense election season that saw:
arrests of opposition leaders and campaign agents,
claims of ballot stuffing,
police blockades on NUP rallies, and
heavy internet restrictions.
Bobi Wine has rejected the announced results, insisting the vote was manipulated. President Yoweri Museveni’s ruling NRM denies the accusations.
Barugahara’s remarks appear to reflect a wider government narrative portraying the opposition as inexperienced and unprepared for national leadership, a message that has been amplified since the campaign period.
Public Reaction Split
On social media, some Ugandans mocked the minister’s remarks as an attempt to “recruit” or neutralise the opposition. Others argued that offering political rivals training was better than arresting them.
Independent analysts say the proposal illustrates a persistent tension in Uganda’s governance: whether dissent should be engaged, contained, or invited into the ruling structure.
No Indication Bobi Wine Will Step Aside
Despite Barugahara’s suggestion, there is no indication that Bobi Wine, 44, intends to abandon politics. Since his 2017 entry into Parliament and his rise as Museveni’s most prominent challenger, Wine has styled himself as the voice of a frustrated younger generation.
His supporters see the minister’s message as confirmation that the ruling party is rattled, while critics of the opposition argue the NUP needs more structure and strategy if it hopes to govern.