Ugandan opposition bodyguard charged after torture, lawyer says

A bodyguard for one of Uganda’s opposition leaders, Bobi Wine, has been charged with aggravated robbery, days after the head of the military said he had detained him.

Last week Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also President Yoweri Museveni’s son, confirmed that he had been holding Eddie Mutwe five days after his disappearance.

The lawyer representing the bodyguard, whose real name is Edward Sebuufu, said his client had been tortured, telling the country’s Daily Monitor newspaper that he was beaten using “wires of electricity”.

Magellan Kazibwe added that Mr Sebuufu was in “great pain” and had also faced the squeezing of his “private parts”.

Mr Kazibwe told reporters that Mr Sebuufu had faced electrocution and that his team were planning to take him to hospital.

Rights groups have long accused the authorities of targeting the opposition especially during the run up to elections.

As Mr Sebuufu was brought to court on Monday, security operatives tried to shield him to prevent the media from seeing him.

But videos showed Bobi Wine’s bodyguard barefoot, and hardly able to walk.

Last week, Gen Kainerugabai posted on social media that Mr Sebuufu was in his custody. The army chief said the bodyguard had been shaved and that he planned to castrate him.

The detention comes as Uganda gears up for elections in 2026 where Museveni, who has been in power for nearly four decades, is expected to run against Bobi Wine.

Several human rights activists have condemned Mr Sebuufuu’s detention, meanwhile Uganda’s Human Rights Commission called for his immediate release.

Civil society organisations have also warned that his detention is part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent and crush opposition ahead of the general election.

However, the government blames the opposition for civilian and police clashes, saying they hold rallies without permission.

Lawyer Mr Kazibwe added that aside from aggravated robbery, Mr Sebuufuu was also charged with simple robbery over an alleged incident in Lwengo District.