Ugandan musician and Afrobeats star Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, famously known as Bobi Wine. PHOTO FILE | NATION
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Ugandan musician and Afrobeats star Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, best known as Bobi Wine, has won a by-election in Kyadondo East in central Uganda.
Ugandan musician and Afrobeats star Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, famously known as Bobi Wine, has won a by-election in Kyadondo East in central Uganda.
Kyagulanyi, who ran as an independent candidate, beat four challengers by polling 25,659 votes of 33,310 cast. He received congratulatory message from the former presidential candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, Kizza Besigye tweeted:
 “Landslide victory for the HE Bobi Wine. Congratulations-PEOPLE POWER!! That's why Wakiso people weren't allowed to vote 2016. @FDCOfficial1"
After being declared winner, Kyagulanyi said that he wants to focus on uniting people:
"The first thing I want to do is to reconcile the leaders of Kyadondo East... I want politics to bring us together... just like music does."
The seat was declared vacant last year after a court ruled that the election had violated electoral rules.
Kyagulanyi began his music career in early 2000s. Following the 2016 election he released a song titled Situka, which means rise up in Luganda.
Part of the lyrics include a challenge to Ugandans to play an active role in fighting corruption and injustice in their country:
"When the going gets tough, the tough must get going, especially when our leaders have become misleaders and mentors have become tormentors. When freedom of expression is met with suppression and oppression. "
