In brief
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief, has denied allegations that soldiers assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a military raid at their home. Wine claimed his wife was assaulted and held at gunpoint, while Kainerugaba stated that the military does not target women and is focused on apprehending Wine. The incident follows a disputed election, with Wine alleging widespread fraud and the ongoing military presence around his home.
Uganda's military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba has categorically denied claims that soldiers assaulted Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a raid at their home. Bobi Wine, who is reportedly in hiding, alleged that on Saturday, military officers stormed their residence, held his wife at gunpoint, and assaulted her, taking documents and equipment from their home, which remains under military surveillance.Barbara, speaking from the hospital, recounted the distressing encounter, stating that the officers had demanded to know Wine's location and physically assaulted her when she refused to comply.The tension escalates after President Yoweri Museveni's recent victory in the January elections, which Wine has contested, citing electoral fraud.In response to the allegations, Kainerugaba took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to assert, “my soldiers did not beat up Barbie [Bobi Wine's] wife” and expressed disdain for the idea of assaulting women, claiming their primary focus is on seeking Bobi Wine himself.Following the election results, Kainerugaba has openly called for Wine's surrender, with threatening remarks reported. In his latest comments, Wine expressed gratitude towards his supporters for ensuring his safety while revealing that his wife is struggling with the trauma from the assault and that their residence is still surrounded by military forces.Barbara described a terrifying situation where a group of assailants, some in military uniform, forcibly entered her home and assaulted her, including physical violence that left her both physically and emotionally scarred. She reported being hit, having her clothing torn, and even losing consciousness following the traumatic incident.The opposition claims a wave of violence and suppression of dissent since the election, with reports of stifling actions against their supporters and calls from human rights groups for an end to such brutality under the guise of national security. There is increasing concern about Uganda’s political landscape as it continues to experience civil unrest amid the long-standing rule of Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.
