The chief of defense forces and First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, last night stirred more debate on social media after he posted a photo showing the “capture” of the wife of his father’s political opponent, Robert Kyagulanyi, in a recent military raid.
“This is when our soldiers captured and then released Kabobi’s wife, Barbie. She was very helpful in helping us find her husband,” reads Gen Muhoozi’s caption on the photo in one of the series of posts on X hours after the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, told NTV Uganda on Thursday evening that no one had stopped Mr Kyagulanyi, who’s currently on the run from staying in his home.
“Everyone is wondering why he chose to leave. He is not wanted by the government,” said Ms Nabbanja during an interview on NTV’s political talk show, On The Spot, echoing similar statements made earlier by Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi and other government communication officers
“No one has stopped @HEBobiwine from staying in his home; everyone is wondering why he chose to leave. He is not wanted by the government.” ~ Hon. @RobinahNabbanja, Prime Minister of Uganda#NTVOnTheSpot pic.twitter.com/1vmMsGfHq8
— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) January 29, 2026
To Gen Muhoozi, however, Mr Kyagulanyi, who came second in the January 15, 2026, General Election after his father secured a resounding victory, is wanted dead or alive.
“We are most certainly hunting Kabobi. He is wanted Dead or Alive! It doesn’t matter how long it takes us, we will get him…Kabobi is next. As he is taking selfies and videos, his wife was captured. The definition of an IDIOT!….As far as I’m concerned, we captured the man, Barbie, a week ago. The fugitive on the run is the wife…Kabobi,” Gen Muhoozi added.
According to him, “any foreign powers who attempt to smuggle Kabobi outside the country are going to create a serious rupture in relations.”
In another series of posts in the wee hours of Friday morning, Gen Muhoozi who acts as his father’s senior advisor on Special Operations accused the current administration at the US Embassy in Uganda of aiding Mr Kyagulanyi’s escape from his home in Magere, Wakiso District, during a January 16, 2026, night military raid.
“Fellow Ugandans, because of the present situation where an opposition leader kidnapped himself and is missing, and according to our best intelligence, did all this in coordination with the current administration at the US Embassy in our country. We, as UPDF, suspend ALL cooperation with the current administration at the US Embassy in Kampala. This includes our work in Somalia…The very precious security co-operation between Uganda and the United States has been undermined for a decade now (since 2015) by unimaginative bureaucrats at the Embassy. This is in spite of the excellent political relations between the two countries,” Gen Muhoozi said in X posts he has since deleted and apologised.
During the interview with NTV’s On The Spot host Patrick Kamara, the Prime Minister highlighted the professionalism of the army under the leadership of Gen Muhoozi as one of the achievements of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime that has been in power for four decades.
“As NRM professionals, one of the gains we are safeguarding is that, with the UPDF, people no longer live in fear of our security personnel,” Ms Nabbanja said.
On January 24, 2026, Mr Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, said troops broke into his residence overnight, assaulted staff and choked his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, forcing her to seek medical treatment.
Mr Kyagulanyi has been in hiding since January 16 following the East African nation’s disputed presidential election in which President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, was declared winner with 71.65 per cent of the vote cast.
Bobi Wine, a pop-star-turned-politician, has accused Ugandan security forces of harassment since the January 15 presidential election in which he finished second. He has rejected the result, alleging fraud.
It is unclear why the military is searching for him.
Rights groups and the opposition have long accused Mr Museveni’s government of using the military to suppress dissent, accusations the government denies.