A chilling account of an attack on the wife of Uganda's opposition leader, Bobi Wine, has emerged, leaving many Ugandans in shock and raising serious concerns about the country's political climate.
A Terrifying Home Invasion
On a fateful Friday night, Barbara Kyagulanyi, affectionately known as Barbie, found herself alone in her home, with only a guard at the gate, as a group of armed men in military uniforms forcibly entered her residence. These intruders, numbering in the dozens, demanded to know the whereabouts of her husband, Bobi Wine, one of seven candidates who had challenged President Yoweri Museveni in the recent election.
Barbie, despite the harrowing situation, remained defiant. She refused to cooperate, telling the men she didn't know her husband's location and even declined to unlock her mobile phone. This brave stance, however, led to her being harassed and insulted, with the intruders questioning her choice to marry an opposition leader.
The Aftermath and Escalating Attacks
The video footage Barbie captured on her phone, later posted on X, showed the terrifying moment she encountered a "swarm of men." She recalled calling her brother-in-law, saying, "This is the end." Two men held her down while the others searched the house, and in a disturbing turn of events, one asked her to unlock her phone. When she refused, he lifted her off the floor, and she kicked him, only to be grabbed by the second man, who tore off her pajama top and buttons.
Some of the men "looked away" during this assault, while others remained unmoved. Later, a gunman pulled her by the hair and banged her head against a pillar. Four men forced her down and sat on her, and she eventually lost consciousness, waking up in the hospital at 1 a.m., where she was treated for bruises and anxiety.
Kyagulanyi has no doubts that General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the army chief and President Museveni's son, was behind the raid. She points to his repeated threats against her husband on X as evidence. Colonel Chris Magezi, a military spokesman, has not responded to requests for comment.
Bobi Wine's lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, has urged the international community to demand verifiable guarantees of Wine's safety, citing the army chief's reckless threats, even as police claim Wine has committed no crime. Kainerugaba's tweets are often offensive and targeted, calling Wine names like "baboon" and "terrorist." He frequently deletes these posts later.
Kainerugaba has also claimed that over 2,000 of Wine's supporters have been detained since the election, and he asserts that he is operating with the powers of a commander-in-chief, a role legally vested in the president.
David Lewis Rubongoya, secretary-general of Wine's party, described the recent events as a "new phase of persecution." He stated, "Our leader is in hiding. Several other party leaders are either missing or under arrest."
A Disputed Election and International Response
Uganda's election was marred by a prolonged internet shutdown and the failure of biometric voter identification machines, causing delays in voting, particularly in Kampala. Wine has also alleged ballot box stuffing in areas seen as Museveni's strongholds.
Museveni, a long-time U.S. ally on regional security, has accused the opposition of attempting to incite violence during the voting process.
In a statement, Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the Trump administration to reassess its security relationship with Uganda, suggesting sanctions against specific actors, including Kainerugaba. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for restraint and respect for Uganda's international human rights obligations.
The presence of Ugandan security forces throughout the election campaign was a constant reminder of the tense political atmosphere.
Bobi Wine, who campaigned in a flak jacket and helmet for protection, has alleged that authorities followed him and harassed his supporters, often using tear gas.
Museveni, 81, will now serve a seventh term, bringing him closer to five decades in power. His supporters credit him for the relative peace and stability that has made Uganda a haven for hundreds of thousands fleeing violence elsewhere in Africa.
This story is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by opposition leaders and their families in Uganda, and it begs the question: How can a country balance the need for stability with the protection of its citizens' rights and freedoms?
