Military Chief Denies Assault on Bobi Wine's Wife Amid Ongoing Tensions

Tue Feb 03 2026 14:26:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Uganda's military chief has refuted allegations that soldiers assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a raid on their home. This incident follows accusations of military violence against opposition supporters following the recent elections.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief, has denied claims that troops assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, wife of opposition figure Bobi Wine, during a raid on their residence. Wine alleges that military personnel held his wife at gunpoint and assaulted her, seeking his whereabouts. This incident comes after allegations of broader military violence against opposition supporters following Uganda's contested elections, where President Museveni was declared the winner. Barbara, speaking from a hospital, recounted the traumatic experience of the raid, while Wine echoed fears for his safety amid ongoing threats from the military.

Uganda's military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba has denied claims that soldiers assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a raid at their home.

Wine, who is in hiding, alleged on Saturday that his wife was held at gunpoint by military officers who assaulted her, taking away documents and electronic items. He said the house continued to be surrounded by the military.

Speaking from hospital, Barbara Kyagulanyi said the officers had demanded to know Wine's whereabouts and had assaulted her when she refused.

It comes after the recent landslide victory of long-serving leader, and Kainerugaba's father, President Yoweri Museveni. Wine rejected the results citing fraud.

On Monday, the general posted on X that my soldiers did not beat up Barbie [Bobi Wine's] wife. He stated, First of all, we do not beat up women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband not her,

Since Museveni was announced the winner of the elections, Kainerugaba has demanded Wine's surrender and has issued death threats against him.

Wine said on Monday that Kainerugaba was still looking for him and issuing threats to harm me and thanked people for continuing to keep him safe.

My wife is still recovering from the trauma of an overnight raid and assault... My home is still surrounded by the military, he added.

From her hospital bed, Barbara Kyagulanyi described how dozens of men had broken into her house, some in military uniform, harassing and assaulting her.

She reported that one of the men hit me on the face and tore my lip. She recounted that the officer had lifted her by the waistband of her trousers while another choked her as she hung mid-air. The first officer also pulled off her blouse, leaving her partially naked.

According to Wine, she was taken to hospital with both physical and psychological trauma.

Since the election, the opposition has alleged that its supporters have been targeted by security forces. Kainerugaba stated that security officers had killed 30 supporters of the opposition National Unity Party (NUP) led by Wine and detained 2,000 others.

The Uganda Law Society has condemned the ongoing wave of detentions, torture and enforced disappearances of opposition leaders and supporters, asserting that No one should be subjected to violence by security forces under the pretext of national security.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence. Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 and will have served for 45 years when the next term ends in 2031.