Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye once seized the country’s newspapers headlines as he led mass protests and frequently got arrested.

Besigye's role, characterised by arrests that attracted international attention and court appearances, is seemingly being played by musician turned politician Bobi Wine.

But over the last two years musician-turned-Robert Kyagulanyi, the MP for Kyadondo East with stage name Bobi Wine has garnered more attention as the voice of the opposition to the long rule of President Yoweri Museveni.

An opinion poll released on May 6 showed Wine would edge out Besigye.

If Uganda went to the polls last month, Museveni would score 32 per cent of the votes cast.

Wine would scoop 22 per cent, followed by Besigye's 13 per cent.

The last time Besigye, President Yoweri Museveni's bitter rival, was arrested was August 2018.

Police had in August 2018 surrounded his Kasangati home for hours, later taking him to Naggalama Police Station.

Around the same time, Kenyans joined Ugandans in calling for the release of Bobi Wine.

A concert was organised in Nairobi ahead of a peaceful protest at Freedom Corner, Police however allowed the march.

Bobi was arrested on August 13 and initially charged with treason, but the charges were later reduced to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition at a military court in Gulu, northern Uganda.

He was remanded in Makindye Military Barracks after facing the charges.

The BBC reported Besigye as saying he does not feel eclipsed by Wine's new-found popularity in the country's Opposition circles.

“It’s rather a misplaced concept. The struggle that is going on is not a struggle for leadership.

The contestation that is going on is for liberation so that the country can be truly under the control of citizens.

“There is interaction between all the fighters for freedom to regain that freedom.”