The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has denied allegations that soldiers assaulted Barbie Itungo Kyagulanyi, the wife of National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, following a reported overnight security operation at the family’s home in Magere.
Responding to claims circulating on social media and statements by opposition figures, Gen. Muhoozi rejected assertions that members of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) harmed Kyagulanyi’s wife during the operation.
“My soldiers did not beat up Barbie… Kabobi’s wife. First of all, we do not beat up women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her,” Muhoozi said.
The denial follows accusations by Bobi Wine that hundreds of soldiers, some allegedly from the Special Forces Command (SFC), raided his home, vandalised property and subjected his wife and staff to violence and intimidation. Kyagulanyi has said his wife was later admitted to Nsambya Hospital for treatment.
Gen. Muhoozi’s comments directly contradict those claims and come amid heightened political tension, with opposition figures describing the alleged raid as part of a wider crackdown on dissent.
While security authorities have not issued a detailed official account of the operation, Gen. Muhoozi’s statement represents the strongest rebuttal yet from the military leadership, firmly distancing the UPDF from accusations of assault.
As of publication, government spokespersons had not announced any investigations into the incident, even as pressure mounts from opposition leaders and civil society voices calling for clarity on the events at Magere and the condition of Barbara Kyagulanyi.
