Africa-Press. Uganda’s Information Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, condemned a military raid on opposition leader Bobi Wine’s home last month, telling Reuters that the former pop star turned politician had committed no crime and was free to return home.
Wine has been in hiding for weeks after fleeing his home in the capital, Kampala, hours before the announcement of his defeat in the January 15 presidential election to President Yoweri Museveni.
On January 24, Wine said his wife was taken to hospital after soldiers stormed their home, alleging they partially stripped and strangled her.
Ugandan army commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son, denied that soldiers assaulted Wine’s wife, but later said on the social media platform X that they had “detained her and then released her.” Baryomunsi, who also serves as government spokesperson, said authorities would investigate the incident.
In an interview, he said: “We do not tolerate any acts of indiscipline by the army and security forces. Therefore, breaking into Wine’s home, causing damage, and assaulting his wife or anyone else is wrong.” He declined to say whether security personnel would face punishment if found to have broken the law.
A spokesperson for the National Unity Platform party, to which Wine belongs, did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment, Reuters reported.
Kainerugaba has said in social media posts that the army is searching for Wine, who rejected the election results, alleging fraud. The army chief did not specify why Wine was being sought or what charges he might face.
Human rights organizations and the opposition have long accused Museveni’s government, in power for four decades, of using the army to suppress dissent—allegations the government denies.
Baryomunsi also said Uganda does not intend to withdraw its troops from the African Union mission fighting militants in Somalia, contradicting recent statements by Kainerugaba, who last week threatened on X to pull the troops out over funding problems.
Kainerugaba has a history of controversial social media posts, which he often deletes. He once threatened to behead Wine and boasted that the army had killed 30 opposition supporters. Baryomunsi said Kainerugaba’s posts should be viewed as “offhand comments that do not reflect state policy or decisions.”
