It is with deep sorrow that the National Unity Platform (NUP) President, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, announced the tragic passing of Marinos Alexandros, a young Ugandan woman whose life was marked by courage, resilience, and unshakable spirit in the face of unimaginable suffering.
Marinos’ ordeal began on March 30, 2022, when she was abducted in Mbuya for what many would consider a harmless act — playing Bobi Wine’s music on loudspeakers. What followed was a nightmare. She was reportedly subjected to severe torture and sexual violence at the hands of operatives linked to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).
When she bravely came forward to expose her tormentors, Marinos began receiving death threats. Her home was raided, but she narrowly escaped. The persistent threats forced her into exile in Nairobi, Kenya, where she sought refuge. Even there, her safety was not guaranteed. According to Bobi Wine, agents pursued her until she had no choice but to seek protection at the UNHCR refugee camp.
The scars of her abduction and torture were not only emotional but also physical. She contracted life-threatening illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, which progressively weakened her health. Despite receiving treatment and support from comrades, her condition worsened. In her final weeks, Marinos returned to Uganda to be with her family, where she sadly passed away at 1:30am.
Her story is not isolated. She joins a long list of Ugandans who have endured or lost their lives in what the opposition describes as a climate of repression, intimidation, and violence under the current regime. Bobi Wine mourned her as “a comrade in the struggle,” declaring that her death strengthens the call for justice and democracy in Uganda.
Marinos Alexandros will be remembered not only as a victim of political oppression but also as a symbol of resistance. Her courage to speak out, even after enduring brutality, reflects the price many ordinary Ugandans continue to pay for freedom.
As the nation absorbs this loss, her memory serves as both a painful reminder and a rallying call — that the struggle for a free, just, and democratic Uganda is far from over.
May her soul rest in eternal peace.
