The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has made controversial remarks suggesting that Edward Ssebufu, widely known as Eddie Mutwe and the chief civilian bodyguard of National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), is currently in his custody.
According to Gen. Kainerugaba, Mutwe is “in his basement, learning Runyankore.”
This statement follows an April 27 post by Kyagulanyi on X (formerly Twitter), in which he alleged that Mutwe had been “violently abducted from Kiwango village in Mukono District by armed men in SFC uniform driving a Toyota van commonly referred to as a ‘drone.'”
Responding on the same platform, Gen. Muhoozi tweeted: “He is in my basement. Learning Runyankore. You are next!” a message that sparked immediate alarm among human rights advocates and opposition supporters.
Gen. Kainerugaba further elaborated, stating, “I can’t release Eddie now. It would be unfair to both of us. He is learning Runyankore and we are training together for Kabobi.”
He claimed that Mutwe was distressed upon capture but has since begun making progress with the language.
“He cried when the boys grabbed him, but his Runyankore is improving. The beards were the first thing they shaved. Now, his head looks totally clean like an egg,” he added.
In a particularly disturbing remark, Gen. Muhoozi concluded: “I haven’t started. I still have to castrate him.”
Meanwhile, Kyagulanyi condemned the comments, calling them further evidence of state repression against opposition figures. “Museveni’s son confirms that our brother Eddie Mutwe is being detained in his basement, ‘learning Runyankore’. Time will tell,” he wrote on X.
On Wednesday, Kyagulanyi announced that the NUP legal team had filed a habeas corpus petition demanding the state produce Eddie Mutwe dead or alive.
