The Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, has dismissed claims that the Magere residence of National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has been turned into a prison following Uganda’s disputed January 2026 presidential election.
Addressing Parliament, Muhoozi argued that a place can only be legally described as a prison if it is officially gazetted and houses inmates conditions he said do not apply to Kyagulanyi’s home.
“A home can only be called a prison if it is gazetted and has people occupying it. In this case, Kyagulanyi is not even at home,” Muhoozi told legislators.
The minister acknowledged that there has been a heavy security deployment around the Magere property but insisted this does not amount to unlawful detention. He described any inconvenience caused by the security presence as administrative and said such concerns could be resolved through proper engagement with authorities.
Muhoozi’s made the remarks during the parliamentary session on Thursday , come amid heightened political tension after the elections, with opposition supporters alleging widespread arrests, assaults and restrictions on movement targeting their leaders.
Supporters of Kyagulanyi have repeatedly described the security cordon at Magere as an informal house arrest, arguing that the opposition leader and his family have been effectively confined or forced into hiding.
However, government officials have continued to downplay the situation, maintaining that security deployments are precautionary and lawful, not punitive.
Public reaction to Muhoozi’s statement has been sharply divided, with many Ugandans expressing scepticism online and accusing the government of evading the broader concerns around democratic freedoms and political space in the country.
The debate over Magere has since become a symbol of the wider post-election standoff between the state and the opposition, with no clear resolution yet in sight.