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A bodyguard to Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has been charged with aggravated robbery, just days after the country’s top military official, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba — who is also President Yoweri Museveni’s son — admitted to detaining him.
Edward Sebuufu, better known as Eddie Mutwe, disappeared earlier this month, prompting concerns from human rights groups and the opposition. Gen Kainerugaba later confirmed via social media that he was holding Sebuufu, even boasting that the bodyguard had been shaved and threatening to castrate him.
Sebuufu reappeared in court on Monday, barefoot and visibly weak, struggling to walk. Security officers attempted to shield him from cameras, but footage of his condition quickly circulated online, intensifying public outrage.
His lawyer, Magellan Kazibwe, said Sebuufu had been tortured while in custody. Kazibwe described beatings with electrical wires, squeezing of his genitals, and electrocution. “He is in great pain,” the lawyer said, adding that plans were underway to transfer him to a hospital for treatment.
In addition to aggravated robbery, Sebuufu has also been charged with simple robbery linked to an alleged incident in Lwengo District.
Uganda’s Human Rights Commission has called for his immediate release, while civil society organisations have warned that his detention fits a broader pattern of political repression ahead of the 2026 general elections. President Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, is expected to run again, facing strong opposition from Bobi Wine, a prominent critic and former presidential contender.
Rights groups accuse the government of escalating efforts to silence dissent, with arbitrary arrests, torture, and intimidation of opposition figures becoming increasingly common. The government, however, maintains that opposition rallies often flout legal requirements and are responsible for inciting violence.
Sebuufu’s case has become a lightning rod for criticism of Uganda’s political climate, raising serious concerns about due process, human rights, and the use of state power to suppress opposition voices.
