Muhoozi Denies Assault on Bobi Wine’s Wife Amid Uganda Tensions
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has denied allegations that soldiers assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, during a military raid on their home.
The denial comes amid heightened political tension following President Yoweri Museveni’s disputed re-election on January 15, a result Bobi Wine has rejected, citing widespread electoral fraud.
Bobi Wine, who says he is currently in hiding, alleged that armed military officers stormed his residence over the weekend, held his wife at gunpoint, assaulted her, and confiscated documents and electronic devices. He further claimed that the home remains surrounded by security forces.
Speaking from her hospital bed, Barbara Kyagulanyi corroborated her husband’s account, saying the officers demanded to know Bobi Wine’s whereabouts and attacked her when she refused to cooperate.
“They wanted me to tell them where my husband was. When I refused, they assaulted me,” she said.
According to Barbara, dozens of men—some dressed in military uniform—forcefully entered the home late at night, harassed her, and subjected her to physical violence.
She described being slapped, choked, and lifted into the air by her trousers while another officer restrained her. One of the men allegedly tore her blouse, leaving her partially undressed. She also said her hair was pulled and her lip torn during the ordeal.
“I was hit in the face. I passed out after the assault,” she said.
Bobi Wine later confirmed that his wife was admitted to hospital with both physical injuries and psychological trauma.
However, General Kainerugaba dismissed the allegations in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, insisting his soldiers did not harm Barbara Kyagulanyi.
“My soldiers did not beat up Barbie [Bobi Wine’s] wife,” he wrote. “First of all, we do not beat up women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her.”
The general’s remarks sparked outrage among rights groups and opposition supporters, particularly due to their dismissive tone and the ongoing crackdown on opposition figures.
Since Museveni was declared the winner of the election, General Kainerugaba—who is also Museveni’s son—has repeatedly demanded Bobi Wine’s surrender and has issued public threats against him.
Bobi Wine responded on Monday, saying the military chief was still searching for him and continuing to issue threats.
“He is still looking for me and issuing threats to harm me,” Wine said in a post on X. “My wife is still recovering from the trauma of an overnight raid and assault. My home is still surrounded by the military.”
The opposition National Unity Party (NUP), led by Bobi Wine, has accused security forces of targeting its supporters nationwide following the election.
Last week, Kainerugaba claimed that security officers had killed 30 NUP supporters and detained more than 2,000 others during post-election operations—an admission that further fueled criticism of the government’s handling of dissent.
Prominent NUP ally and lawmaker Muwanga Kivumbi was arrested over alleged involvement in election-related violence, claims the party has strongly denied.
The Uganda Law Society has condemned what it described as an “ongoing wave of detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances” targeting opposition leaders and supporters.
“No one should be subjected to violence by security forces under the pretext of national security,” the society said in a statement issued on Sunday.
Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of presidential power since gaining independence. President Museveni first took office in 1986 after leading a rebel war and is now set to extend his rule to 45 years by the end of his next term in 2031.
As tensions continue to rise, local and international observers are increasingly concerned about human rights, political freedoms, and the safety of opposition figures in the country.