By Ben Musanje
Uganda has been thrown into fresh political tension after a dramatic legal battle exploded at the Chief Magistrates Court in Kasangati, where the Uganda Law Society has taken on the Attorney General of the Republic of Uganda over what it calls a dangerous and illegal military siege at the home of opposition leader Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and his wife Barbra Kyagulanyi Itungo.
The case, filed as Miscellaneous Cause No. 30 of 2026, paints a frightening picture of a home surrounded, watched and controlled by armed personnel from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces. According to the Uganda Law Society, this heavy deployment has turned the couple’s residence in Magere village, Wampewo Parish, Kasangati Town Council in Wakiso District into what they describe as a silent prison.
The lawyers argue that Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, a Member of Parliament and leading opposition figure, together with Barbra Kyagulanyi Itungo, have effectively been locked inside their own home without any court order, in what amounts to an unlawful house arrest. They insist that this violates constitutional rights to personal liberty and privacy, warning that such actions are illegal, unconstitutional and a serious abuse of state power.
The legal action comes in the wake of a shocking and violent incident that has left the country in disbelief. On the night of January 23, 2026, Barbra Kyagulanyi Itungo was reportedly attacked inside her own home by armed intruders. This happened just hour after a delegation from the Uganda Law Society had visited her to discuss ways of ending what had already become an eight-day house arrest.
According to findings confirmed after consultations between Barbra Kyagulanyi Itungo and her legal team, the attackers forcefully entered the residence, assaulted her and demanded to know the whereabouts of her husband, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu. During the chaos, property and documents were taken, leaving behind fear, injuries and deep psychological trauma that required her hospitalization.
The Uganda Law Society, under the leadership of its President Isaac K. Ssemakadde, Senior Counsel, has described the incident as a shocking abuse of power allegedly involving the Uganda People’s Defence Forces operating under police supervision. The organization says the actions not only violated basic human rights but also crossed a dangerous line in civil-military relations.
Isaac K. Ssemakadde, Senior Counsel and President of the Uganda Law Society, together with Vice President Asiimwe Anthony, has now moved swiftly to escalate the matter. The Radical New Bar Governing Council has resolved to push for immediate court intervention to lift all restrictions on the Kyagulanyi family.
Through its Legal Aid Clinic, the Uganda Law Society has formally written to the Chief Magistrates Court in Kasangati requesting an urgent hearing date, signaling the urgency and seriousness of the case. The lawyers are demanding an immediate order for the withdrawal of all armed personnel stationed at the residence and a complete end to what they call unlawful deployment.
Beyond the courtroom, the Uganda Law Society is preparing for a wider battle. It has launched plans for an independent investigation to gather forensic evidence that could lead to both civil and criminal cases against those responsible, including their superiors. The organization is also considering international legal action as pressure builds over alleged torture, unlawful searches and human rights violations.
At the same time, the Uganda Law Society is planning a national dialogue to address what it describes as a growing pattern of repression, enforced disappearances and political persecution targeting members and supporters of the National Unity Platform.
At the heart of this unfolding drama stands Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, and Barbra Kyagulanyi Itungo, now at the center of a case that is quickly turning into a defining moment for Uganda’s rule of law.
As the court prepares to hear the explosive case, the country watches closely, with rising concern over the growing clash between state power and civil liberties. The Uganda Law Society has made its position clear: the law must prevail, even as fear and force take center stage. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
