Once again, Bobi Wine displayed poor judgment, this time at a very sensitive and emotional moment—the vigil of fellow musician Fik Fameica’s late mother. Many musicians turned up in large numbers to stand in solidarity with Fik Fameica as he mourned the loss of his mother, who sadly succumbed to cancer at the age of 51. May her soul rest in peace.
The singer was visibly heartbroken. Fellow artists including Eddy Kenzo, Sheebah Karungi, Lydia Jazmine, Spice Diana, Elijah Kitaka, Joshua Baraka, among others, came through to offer condolences and words of comfort. They did what was expected—stood with a grieving colleague in his darkest moment.
Bobi Wine, who Fik Fameica has long supported and openly drawn inspiration from, also attended. Like everyone else, he was given the microphone. However, instead of offering comfort, solidarity, or empathy, he immediately turned the moment into a political statement. He claimed that if Uganda had better policies and medical facilities, Fik Fameica’s mother would not have died so young.
This is where the problem lies.
When you are invited to your friend’s mother’s vigil, especially when that friend is visibly broken, there is only one expectation: to comfort, to mourn together, and to stand in solidarity. Even if you are not emotionally affected, you must understand what to say, how to say it, and—most importantly—where and when to say it.
Turning a vigil into a political platform was insensitive and inappropriate.
This has been a recurring weakness in Bobi Wine’s public engagements. Throughout his political journey, he has often failed to read the room. While he may excite his supporters with inflammatory rhetoric, leadership demands more than that. A leader must know timing, tone, and context.
Great public speakers like Barack Obama or New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani understand this well. When you listen to them, you rarely feel the urge to skip their speeches because they carefully choose their words and moments. That is the discipline Bobi Wine lacks—knowing when to speak politics and when to simply be human.
It is also important to get facts right. Yes, Uganda needs better health facilities—this is not debatable. But better health systems do not guarantee the elimination of death, especially from diseases like cancer. Even countries with the most advanced medical facilities—such as the United States, India, and other developed nations—record some of the highest cancer fatalities despite having world-class hospitals and specialists.
So suggesting that better facilities alone would have saved Fik Fameica’s mother is misleading.
This problem is not unique to Bobi Wine; many politicians make the same mistake. They politicize funerals, burials, and vigils—moments meant for mourning, not campaigning. When people are grieving, they do not want political lectures. They want compassion.
Leadership is not just about speaking loudly or emotionally. It is about empathy, restraint, and wisdom. Sometimes, the most powerful statement is silence—or a simple message of condolence.
Unfortunately, at that vigil, Bobi Wine missed the moment.
