Magere, Uganda — January 24, 2026 — In a dramatic escalation of post-election tensions, hundreds of soldiers reportedly stormed the home of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, in Magere late Friday night, ransacking the compound, assaulting family members and hospitalising his wife.
According to a detailed account shared by the opposition leader and corroborated by multiple news reports, scores of security personnel — including men in Special Forces Command (SFC) uniforms, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) attire and plain clothes — descended on the property in the early hours of January 24. Witnesses said many appeared intoxicated and came equipped with ladders, tools and heavy implements, suggesting an operation intended to search the entire residence.
Eyewitnesses and family members recounted how the troops broke down doors, smashed windows, and used hammers on walls and fixtures while ransacking every part of the home — including ceilings — in search of the opposition figure, who has been in hiding since a previous raid earlier in the month.
Wife Held at Gunpoint, Assaulted and Hospitalised
During the chaotic raid, Bobi Wine’s wife, Barbara “Barbie” Kyagulanyi, was reportedly held at gunpoint and repeatedly questioned about her husband’s whereabouts. According to the family’s account, soldiers grabbed her phone, ordered her to remove the password, and physically assaulted her when she refused.
“My wife is currently in hospital — dealing with all the physical and psychological trauma,” Kyagulanyi wrote, describing the ordeal.
International news agency Reuters confirmed that Barbara was hospitalised after being choked by soldiers and that some assailants partially undressed her and took photographs, allegations that have intensified criticism of the security operation.
Property Torn Apart, Valuables and Electronics Seized
According to the opposition leader’s statement, the raiders stole significant amounts of cash, important documents, and nearly all electronic equipment in the home, including phones, laptops, CCTV and internet systems, chargers, speakers and other gadgets.
Staff working at the residence — including the security guard and housemaid — were reportedly beaten and interrogated, with soldiers demanding to know where Bobi Wine and his children might be hiding.
Amid Post-Election Tensions
The raid occurred against the backdrop of mounting political tensions in Uganda following the January 15 general election, in which incumbent President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner with more than 71 % of the vote — a result rejected by Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) party as fraudulent.
The security operation also comes shortly after Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the country’s Chief of Defence Forces and President Museveni’s son, publicly issued an ultimatum for Bobi Wine to surrender to police, warning he would be treated as an “outlaw” if he failed to do so.
Political and Legal Backlash
Opposition figures have condemned the raid as excessive and unlawful. NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi described the military’s actions as reckless and criticised the harassment of Kyagulanyi’s family.
Separately, the Uganda Law Society has voiced serious concerns that the prolonged security presence around the Magere compound — effectively restricting movement in and out — violates constitutional rights and a High Court order barring unlawful confinement of Kyagulanyi’s residence.
No Official Comment from Security Agencies
As of publication, neither the UPDF nor the Uganda Police Force has issued a statement explaining the purpose of the operation or responding to the specific allegations made by Kyagulanyi and opposition officials.
