The once-private marital discord between Prof Badru Dungu Kateregga, founding Vice Chancellor of Kampala University, and his wife, Ms Jolly Shibaiha Kateregga, has now exploded into a public spectacle, with allegations of domestic violence and bitter disputes over property and inheritance taking center stage.
Addressing the press on Tuesday at the university’s main campus, Prof Kateregga made explosive claims, accusing Ms Kateregga of assaulting him during a violent altercation in September last year.
Displaying a scar on his head, he alleged it was inflicted by his wife in a bid to gain control over his estate.
“She wants me dead so she can take everything I’ve built,” he charged. “That scar is not a story—she hit me.”
The couple, who married in 2012, are now locked in a painful and public divorce, with accusations and counter-accusations painting a picture of a union in collapse.
Prof Kateregga claims his wife’s ambitions turned hostile when he refused to alter his Will in her favor, excluding his older children.
“She demanded I remove my other children and leave everything to her and her kids. That’s when I knew I was no longer safe,” he said.
He further accused Ms Kateregga of falsely claiming co-founder status at the university and of turning on him after he transferred significant assets to her name, including properties in Rwanda, Nairobi, and Kampala.
“She locked me out of my own house. I added her to the title out of love. Now she wants to erase me from my own legacy,” he lamented.
But Ms Kateregga has vehemently denied all allegations, branding them as cruel and defamatory.
Once a finance director at the university and chair of its Board of Trustees, she argues she helped build the institution and supported her husband through serious health challenges.
“I took care of him when he was critically ill. I even helped save the university from a Shs6 billion debt,” she said.
“To now be accused of poisoning him and being after his wealth is deeply painful.”
She denies ever assaulting her husband or locking him out of their home, and insists that all property in question is legally and jointly owned.
She also claims that Prof Kateregga has been using public platforms to malign her reputation, even accusing her of financial manipulation and dishonesty about paternity.
“He’s now questioning the legitimacy of my children and my contribution to the university. This is beyond a marriage issue—it’s character assassination,” she said.
With the couple’s marriage deteriorating since late 2023, both sides appear entrenched in a bitter struggle over wealth, legacy, and family.
What began as a union built on love and shared ambition has now devolved into one of Uganda’s most high-profile and contentious divorces—marked by violence, public accusations, and a legal storm that may be far from over.
