The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem Okello, has rejected claims that a security operation at the home of former National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and his family resulted in harm to his wife, Barbie Itungo Kyagulanyi.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Tuesday, Oryem said the narratives circulating online were “a wrong representation of what took place” and denied that Barbie Kyagulanyi was tortured.
“Bobi Wine should not think of himself as overly important or compare himself to a serious presidential contender like President Museveni,” Oryem said.
The remarks follow statements from the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who on January 25, 2026, tweeted: “My soldiers did not beat up Barbie. First of all, we do not beat up women—they are not worth our time.”
Bobi Wine had claimed that on the night of January 23, 2026, a group of masked and armed soldiers broke into his Magere residence, assaulting family members and isolating his wife.
He alleged the intruders used ladders, smashed doors and windows, searched every corner of the house, and confiscated valuables including electronic devices and CCTV equipment.
Kyagulanyi also claimed that his wife was verbally abused, restrained, and assaulted when she refused to cooperate, while the family’s security guard and housemaid were beaten. According to him, the family subsequently fled Uganda for safety reasons.
Minister Oryem dismissed these allegations as exaggerated, insisting that the security presence at the Kyagulanyi residence is intended for protection, not harm.
“This ongoing presence of security forces at Bobi Wine’s residence is for his own safety, not to restrain or torture him. The government of Uganda is fully aware that if anyone were to attempt to harm Kyagulanyi, it would cause total chaos and mayhem in the country,” he said.
The minister’s comments coincide with Bobi Wine’s temporary departure from Uganda to engage the international community on governance concerns following the disputed January 15, 2026, presidential election.
Kyagulanyi has consistently rejected the results, describing them as “fake” and alleging Electoral Commission manipulation, though no substantiated evidence has been presented publicly.
During his absence, Kyagulanyi appointed NUP Vice President for Western Uganda, Lina Zedriga Waru, who recently returned from prison, to serve as acting party president.
Government officials, including Chris Baryomunsi and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, have repeatedly urged Kyagulanyi to return home, describing his allegations as unfounded and emphasizing that security deployments are aimed at preventing public disorder rather than targeting him.
Oryem stressed that Bobi Wine is free to move in and out of the country, provided he does not engage in illegal activities, and reiterated that the Ugandan government does not consider online narratives of alleged mistreatment as credible.
