Wine, in hiding since January elections, plans to advocate for sanctions and hand over party leadership to his deputy.

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, announced on Saturday that he has left the country.

Wine, 44, has been in hiding since the January 15 presidential election, which he alleges was stolen from him as President Yoweri Museveni, 81, was re-elected for a seventh term.

Observers and non-governmental organizations have criticised the election results, which the opposition has denounced as illegitimate.

In a video shared on X, Wine said, "Fellow Ugandans and friends of Uganda all over the world, by the time you see this video, I will have left the country." He has not appeared in public since going into hiding and has not disclosed his location.

CBI News reports that Wine’s lawyer had previously called on the United Nations and the international community to ensure his safety following threats and repression that accompanied the elections, which included an internet blackout.

In his video, Wine said he intends to advocate for sanctions against Uganda. He added that his deputy, Lina Zedriga, will assume leadership of the National Unity Platform party in his absence.

Wine accused Museveni of rigging the election and said that he and his son were searching for him across the country. He criticised the extensive security efforts spent trying to locate him, calling it "laughable" that billions of taxpayers’ money were used without success.

The president’s son and army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 51, had posted on X that he wanted Wine dead, a post he later deleted. He also praised the deaths of 30 opposition members and the arrest of roughly 2,000 of their supporters following the election.