Bobi Wine’s campaign rallies and the illusion of the power of prayer


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Everybody who is following Uganda’s presidential campaigns has been wowed by the number of people turning up to listen to candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform, who is challenging NRM’s Yoweri Museveni.

His campaign rallies are huge. Most of all, they are impressively organic. People are turning up because they just want to hear what Bobi Wine has to say. No one is paid to attend his rallies. No directives are issued by NUP telling Ugandans to attend his rallies.

By contrast, Mr Museveni’s campaign rallies, though huge in some places, have been attended by students and civil servants. They are instructed to be there and show support for the president. Bobi Wine has shared several official letters on social media to back up these claims.

The difference in his popularity and that of Mr Museveni could not have been starker. If the election were to be won on the basis of the size of campaign rallies, Bobi Wine would beat Mr Museveni hands down, pushing him into a distant second place.

But many Ugandans know that the probability of Bobi Wine being declared the winner is almost zero.

Bobi Wine’s supporters—and we are talking about millions—are dealing with a real problem: a popular candidate who cannot win. Millions of his supporters, many of whom are deeply religious, believe in the power of prayer. They believe that anyone can pray and find a solution to any problem.

Can Bobi Wine’s supporters use the power of prayer to get him into power? Can Bobi Wine even say to his supporters to pray hard so that the Electoral Commission acts independently and declares the real winner?

These questions are important because they show us what we really need to know about the much-vaunted efficacy of prayer. When does prayer really work? Does it solve some problems and leave others unsolved? 

We are dealing with a national problem. It affects millions. It is not about one person wishing to further their interests. How can we get prayer to fix it? The Bible says (Mark 11:24): “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

These words are very clear. The Bible does not make any exceptions. But we all know countless people pray and get nothing. Can Bobi Wine’s supporters prove us wrong?


🔴 Sunday Thought cuts through the noise of prayer, piety and superstition to ask the questions most people avoid. It discusses God, faith and religion—not to preach, but to probe, challenge and sometimes unsettle. Whether you believe, doubt or have stopped looking altogether, Sunday Thought will make you think, question and maybe even rethink everything you thought you knew about the divine—and about life itself.

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