KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Armed men forcefully entered the residence of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine on a Friday night, seeking to locate him. During the incident, they assaulted his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, known as Barbie, in an attempt to extract information about her husband’s whereabouts.
Barbara Kyagulanyi recounted her harrowing experience to reporters from her hospital bed, stating that she refused to cooperate with the heavily armed men who were dressed in military uniforms. Despite their demands to unlock her mobile phone, she stood firm, insisting that she did not know where her husband was. The intruders harassed her, making derogatory remarks regarding her marriage to Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, commonly referred to as Bobi Wine, who is a prominent challenger to President Yoweri Museveni in the recent election.
Following the presidential polls on January 15, where Museveni was declared the winner with 71.6% of the votes, Bobi Wine has been in hiding. His National Unity Platform (NUP) party secured 24.7% of the votes, a result that Wine has denounced as fraudulent. He has voiced his fears regarding his safety, stating that he is concealed in an undisclosed location while calling for peaceful protests.
A significant security presence has been observed around Wine’s home. On the night of the intrusion, the couple’s children were away, and Watermelon Kyagulanyi was alone in the house with only a guard on duty when the assailants forcibly entered the premises. Kyagulanyi managed to capture some footage of the attack on her phone, which she shared on X, leading to widespread outrage among Ugandans. Alerted by the presence of the armed men, she contacted her brother-in-law, expressing her fear that “this is the end.”
During the assault, Kyagulanyi reported that two men restrained her while the others ransacked the house. One attacker demanded that she unlock her phone, and when she refused, he lifted her off the ground. In the ensuing struggle, she kicked him, prompting a second man to seize her and rip a part of her pajama top. She described parts of the assault as chaotic, with some assailants seemingly indifferent to her plight. Eventually, one of the gunmen pulled her hair and struck her head against a pillar, leading to her passing out. She was subsequently rushed to the hospital shortly after 1 a.m.
Doctors at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala confirmed that she was being treated for bruises and emotional distress. Following the attack, Kyagulanyi accused General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of the president and the army chief since 2024, of orchestrating the raid. His involvement was inferred from his previous online threats against Bobi Wine. Despite numerous requests for comments, Colonel Chris Magezi, a military spokesperson, did not respond.
Bobi Wine's attorney, Robert Amsterdam, has called upon the international community to urgently demand assurances for Wine's safety, highlighting the reckless nature of Kainerugaba's threats against the opposition leader. Kainerugaba's posts on X have been inflammatory, labeling Wine with derogatory terms and referring to him as a “terrorist,” often deleting such statements after posting them. He also mentioned that over 2,000 of Wine’s supporters had been detained since the election.
David Lewis Rubongoya, secretary-general of the NUP, stated that the party is currently facing an onslaught, defining the recent events as a “new phase of persecution.” According to Rubongoya, “Our leader is in hiding,” and several other party officials are either unaccounted for or under arrest.
The election event was marked by significant irregularities, including an extended internet shutdown and malfunctions with biometric voter identification machines, causing voting delays in areas like Kampala. Bobi Wine has alleged electoral fraud, including ballot stuffing in regions seen as Museveni's strongholds. In contrast, Museveni accused the opposition of instigating violence during the polling process.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all parties to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law, along with respecting Uganda’s international human rights commitments. Throughout the electoral campaign, Ugandan security forces maintained a constant presence, frequently following Wine and using tear gas against his supporters. Bobi Wine campaigned while wearing protective gear, including a flak jacket and helmet.
As it stands, Museveni, aged 81, is poised to begin his seventh term, extending his presidency closer to five decades, while supporters credit him with maintaining relative peace and stability in a region that has seen a significant influx of refugees fleeing violence.
