Prof. Badru Kateregga’s wife dismisses assault allegations as “False and Malicious”

Mrs. Jolly Shubaiha Kateregga has broken silence over what she describes as “malicious and completely false” allegations made by her husband, Professor Badru Kateregga, the founder of Kampala University.

Professor Badru Kateregga recently accused his wife of assault and an alleged attempt to forcibly take over his businesses and property. But in an exclusive official statement, Mrs. Kateregga paints a dramatically different picture, calling the allegations an aim to tarnish her name and erase her contributions to both her marriage and the institution they built together.

“These allegations, claiming that I assaulted him and attempted to take over his businesses and property, are completely false, malicious, and have caused me and our children immense emotional and psychological distress,” she stated.

“I Believed in the Love and Future He Promised”, Mrs. Kateregga recounted the beginnings of her relationship with Professor Kateregga in 2010, when she was a young university student. Despite family objections, she married him in 2012 and threw herself into building both their family and his academic empire — Kampala University.

“I committed myself wholly to our marriage and to supporting the growth of Kampala University, which was struggling at the time. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Director of Finance and Marketing, I worked tirelessly to stabilize and expand the institution,” she revealed.

She explained that her work helped pay off the university’s debts and fueled growth that saw the establishment of new campuses across Uganda and beyond. While juggling intense administrative duties, she also cared for their children, supported her husband through his health challenges, and even looked after his aging mother.

Mrs. Kateregga claims the source of the fallout is not violence but business conflict. She accuses her husband and his allies of forging her signature and unlawfully removing her from the positions at the university despite her formal appointment and long-standing role in its growth.

“I find it unfortunate and misleading that Professor Kateregga is now publicly accusing me of attempting to take over his businesses, despite my rightful involvement and long-standing contribution,” she stated.

Her legal team has since taken the matter to court, filing Civil Suit No. 0143 of 2025 in the High Court, alongside a separate application for child maintenance (Family Cause 316 of 2024). She also revealed that the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute her over the allegations and instead identified the matter as a civil family dispute.

Addressing the most serious claims that she physically assaulted the professor, Mrs. Kateregga says medical records tell a different story. According to her, the scars being cited as proof of assault are from surgery to remove blood clots, not any act of domestic violence.

“Contrary to allegations of assault, hospital reports confirmed he had blood clots, not injuries caused by violence. Scars from surgery to remove those clots are now being misrepresented as wounds I allegedly inflicted,” she said.

She further challenges claims that she kept him “incommunicado,” pointing out that during the period in question, Professor Kateregga was seen at public events, funerals and even traveled abroad.

The emotional toll of the ordeal has been immense, with Mrs. Kateregga describing the trauma inflicted on her and her children especially during recent DNA testing carried out under what she described as “intimidating” conditions.

“My only ‘crime’ seems to be that I am a woman, a wife of Rwandan origin, who dared to stand up for herself and her children,” she declared.

She added, “I trusted, served, and supported my husband in all ways possible. I now ask the media and the public to consider the facts and refrain from judging me based on one-sided accounts.”

Mrs. Kateregga further issued a plea for dignity and justice, vowing to fight for her name, her children and the truth.

“I remain committed to seeking justice through the appropriate legal channels. I only ask for fairness, dignity, and the opportunity to tell my story without fear or persecution. My prayer is for the truth to be known and for God to vindicate me and my children,” she said.