Uganda's Bobi Wine slapped with latest charge: 'annoying' the president

Pop star and political opposition figure Bobi Wine was charged by a Ugandan court with “annoying” President Yoweri Museveni, according to his lawyer.

Opposition figure and musician Bobi Wine in court in Kampala, April 2019 Nicholas BAMULANZEKI/AFP

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, had already appeared in court, charged with treason, after claims he and other opposition members had stoned Museveni’s convoy last August.

The “annoying” charge is also in relation to the treason case, according to his lawyer Asuman Basalirwa.

Ugandan pop star and presidential aspirant Bobi Wine has been charged with intending to "alarm, annoy or ridicule" President Yoweri Museveni.#BobiWine #Uganda pic.twitter.com/OJIytRkMLX

  Ruth Nesoba (@RuthNesoba) August 7, 2019

Wine emerged as a popular opposition figure while pursuing a successful music career. A regular critic of Museveni, he has been thwarted from performing, and was allegedly beaten by security last year before he fled the country for medical treatment.

“This government of President Museveni is in panic mode. At first it was treason and now it is annoying President Museveni. Who on earth can't be annoyed?" the pop star told Agence France Presse newswire.

"It is a ridiculous charge and am ready to challenge it in court," he added.

A conviction could be a deterrent to running for president in 2021.

This latest charge against Wine is similar to the 18-month jail sentence Ugandan activist Stella Nyanzi received last week for ‘vulgar’ posts about the president on social media.