General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Museveni and current Chief of Defence Forces, has publicly admitted to detaining Eddie Mutwe, the longtime chief bodyguard of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine.
Mutwe was reportedly abducted in Mukono by operatives believed to be from the Special Forces Command (SFC).
Days later, Muhoozi confirmed in a series of provocative posts on X (formerly Twitter) that Mutwe was in his custody.
He claimed Mutwe was being held in his basement, forced to salute a portrait of President Museveni daily and learn Runyankore, the language of the president’s ethnic group.
One of Muhoozi’s posts included a photo of a half-dressed Mutwe, accompanied by a warning to Bobi Wine.
“I haven’t started. Next is Kabobi. If he abuses anyone in my family again, Eddie will suffer even more.”Muhoozi noted.
The statement raised new concerns over political intimidation and the abuse of state power.
The incident was initially brought to light by Kyagulanyi and the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who said Eddie Mutwe was violently taken by unidentified armed men using a “drone” van — a type of vehicle associated with previous enforced disappearances in Uganda.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told reporters he had no knowledge of Mutwe’s detention, further fueling suspicions of an unlawful operation.
Eddie Mutwe has been targeted in several crackdowns on opposition supporters, particularly around election periods.
His recent abduction came just as security forces shut down the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters, where the party was set to launch a youth-led protest campaign. Authorities banned the event and issued warnings against any gatherings.
This latest incident, coupled with a recent assault on a Kampala police station by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers, has heightened fears of increasing political violence and state repression ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general elections.
