The Commander of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has confirmed that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) carried out a raid on the home of former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, but denied claims that soldiers assaulted his wife, Barbra Kyagulanyi.
“My soldiers did not beat up Barbie, Bobi Wine’s wife. First of all, we do not beat women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her,” the CDF said.
Gen. Muhoozi further stated that the search for Bobi Wine had briefly been suspended on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, President Yoweri Museveni.
“We stopped our search for Kabobi for 24 hours on the instructions of the Commander-in-Chief. Apparently, according to some sources, he wanted to surrender peacefully. He hasn’t surrendered anywhere. Now our troops have orders to bring him in dead or alive,” he said.
On January 23, 2026, the military raided the home of former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, barely ten days after he lost the presidential election. The raid was confirmed by Kyagulanyi himself.
The incident comes amid reports that Kyagulanyi went into hiding for fear of arrest following the elections. He lost the January 15 poll to incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who was declared winner with 71 percent of the total votes cast. Museveni polled 7,946,772 votes, while Kyagulanyi came second with 2,741,238 votes.
Since polling day, Kyagulanyi’s residence in Magere has allegedly been under heavy military presence, with security personnel controlling access to the property. Despite uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts, the former MP has continued to speak to international media outlets since the election.
According to Kyagulanyi, hundreds of soldiers descended on his home late at night. He said many were dressed in Special Forces Command (SFC) uniforms, others in regular UPDF attire, while some were in plain clothes.
“They came with ladders, ready to climb upstairs. They broke our doors and forced themselves into our house. Using hammers, they hit walls, window glass, and doors,” Kyagulanyi said.
“They put my wife at gunpoint, demanding that she reveal my whereabouts. They stole money, numerous important documents, and all electronic gadgets. They took phones, laptops, chargers, our internet system, our CCTV system, speakers—any electronic gadget they could lay their criminal hands on,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Kyagulanyi said the intruders searched every part of the house, including the ceiling, leaving extensive damage. He alleged that his wife was ordered to unlock her phone but refused.
“She refused. They strangled her and insulted her. Speaking Runyankore, they asked why she would marry a Muganda and why we would dare challenge Museveni,” he said.
He further claimed that soldiers assaulted the family’s security guard and housemaid, demanding information about a basement where they believed he was hiding, and questioned them about the whereabouts of his children.
“My wife was rushed to hospital, where she remains admitted, dealing with both physical and psychological trauma,” Kyagulanyi said.
By the time of publication, authorities had not issued an official statement addressing the detailed allegations surrounding the raid.
