It’s one thing to be a socially conscious pop musician; it’s an entirely different matter when that musician attempts to parlay his popularity in the music world into the political arena. For Afrobeat star Bobi Wine — whose personal and political journey is the centerpiece of the remarkable new documentary “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” — the stakes couldn’t be higher. His home country of Uganda faces daunting economic challenges and experiences rampant political corruption. When Bobi becomes a candidate in the 2021 presidential election, his campaign catches fire with tens of thousands of Ugandans, In response, the country’s longtime strongman, President Yoweri Museveni, perceives a serious threat to his hold on power and will stop at nothing to prevent Bobi from winning the election.

Joining Ken on the podcast, directors Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp chart the remarkable rise of Bobi Wine and the frightening acts of violence perpetrated by the ruling government against Bobi, his team and their supporters. How did Bobi Wine first come to the attention of the two directors and what brought them together to begin documenting this campaign? With so many graphic scenes of violence captured on film, how did they choose which scenes would be the most impactful? And, in the course of getting to know Bobi and his wife Barbie, how did the couple’s enduring love for each other become a central part of the story and a source of strength that not even the government of Uganda could touch. 

Released by National Geographic Documentary Films, “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” opens theatrically July 28.

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