Uganda's Military Chief Denies Assault on Bobi Wine's Wife

Thu Jan 29 2026 16:57:46 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Muhoozi Kainerugaba refutes allegations of military involvement in the assault of Barbara Kyagulanyi, amid allegations of political oppression following Uganda's recent election.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief, has denied claims that military personnel assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a raid at their home. Wine alleged that soldiers held his wife at gunpoint and assaulted her to inquire about his whereabouts. Barbara later described the traumatic incident from her hospital bed. This controversy arises amidst heightened tensions following the recent election victory of long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, which Wine has rejected as fraudulent.

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 added, First of all, we do not beat up women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband not her, he said.

Since Museveni was announced the winner of the 15 January election, the military chief 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 the people for continuing to keep him safe.

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 said one of the men hit me on the face and tore my lip and that she passed out after the ordeal. 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 the security forces. Kainerugaba claimed on Friday 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 denounced the ongoing wave of detentions, torture and enforced disappearance of opposition leaders and supporters, declaring that no one should be subjected to violence by security forces.