KAMPALA, Uganda — Opposition leader Bobi Wine has accused Ugandan security forces of carrying out a large-scale overnight raid on his residence in Magere, claiming that hundreds of soldiers forced their way into the home, assaulted occupants, and subjected his wife, Barbie Kyagulanyi, to violent intimidation as they searched for him.
In a statement released on Saturday, Wine identified personnel involved as members of the Special Forces Command (SFC), regular Uganda Peoples Defence Forces units, and others dressed in civilian clothing.
He alleged that many of the soldiers appeared intoxicated and arrived with ladders, hammers, and other tools, indicating a thorough search of the property.
“They broke our doors and forced themselves into our house,” Wine said, describing damage to walls, windows, and doors.
According to Wine, security personnel pointed guns at his wife and demanded she reveal his location while ransacking rooms and seizing cash, documents, and electronic equipment.
“These criminals asked where my children were,” he added, portraying the operation as an attempt to terrorise his family.
Wine further alleged that soldiers confiscated phones, laptops, chargers, internet devices, and CCTV equipment, and that Barbie Kyagulanyi’s phone was forcibly taken after she refused to unlock it.
He also claimed that his wife was assaulted and verbally abused, while the family’s security guard and a housemaid were beaten and interrogated about a supposed basement where Wine might be hiding.
His wife was later rushed to hospital and remains admitted, receiving treatment for both physical injuries and psychological trauma.
No immediate response has been issued by military or police authorities regarding the allegations.
The raid follows heightened post-election tensions in Uganda, after the controversial presidential vote that returned President Yoweri Museveni to office.
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Uganda’s army commander, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has recently posted a series of social media messages threatening arrests and punitive actions against opposition figures, raising international concern.
The European Union and other international actors have urged Ugandan authorities to exercise restraint and ensure the safety of opposition leaders and their families, citing reports of intimidation and violence in the post-election period.
Despite the alleged raid, Wine struck a defiant tone in his statement. “Yet in all this, we remain firm in our belief that Uganda will be free,” he said.
