Jolly Shubaiha Kateregga, wife of Kampala University founder Prof. Badru Kateregga, has come forward with emotional and serious allegations in a high profile marital conflict now in court.
(Kampala) – Mrs. Jolly Shubaiha Kateregga has spoken out for the first time about the breakdown of her marriage to Professor Badru Ddungu Kateregga, founder of Kampala University in a deeply personal and emotional public statement. The couple, once considered a powerful duo in Uganda’s academic landscape, is now locked in a bitter and complex legal and emotional dispute.
Mrs. Kateregga, 36, described the journey of her marriage, beginning when she met the professor at age 22 while a student at Kampala University. Despite a nearly 40 year age gap and opposition from her family, she married him in 2012. Over time, she became not only his wife but also a key university administrator and the mother of their three children.
“I was young, full of hope, and deeply committed to the idea of building a future together,” she said. “I believed in the man I married.”
She recounted her significant contributions to the university, handling finance, public relations, marketing, and expansion projects. Under her leadership, Kampala University reportedly grew rapidly, opening new campuses in Masaka, Luweero, and Jinja, and clearing debts worth UGX 6 billion (approx. USD 1.56 million).
Despite this professional success, she said their personal life began to unravel. Mrs. Kateregga claimed she faced growing difficulties managing her husband’s health and was deeply hurt by what she described as his extramarital affairs with university students.
“Though permitted to marry more than once under Islamic law, the professor’s actions with students crossed moral and professional lines,” she said.
She insisted that she remained supportive through numerous personal and health crises, often acting as nurse and caregiver, beyond her role as wife. “I bore every burden quietly,” she said.
Things worsened significantly in 2024. In September of that year, Prof. Kateregga left their home in Buziga, telling her he would return. He never did. What followed, according to Mrs. Kateregga, was a storm of accusations. She was accused of poisoning him, detaining him, and mismanaging university funds.
However, she said medical reports from Aga Khan Hospital and Mengo Hospital confirmed there was no evidence of poisoning. She said the scars often shown in public by the professor were results of surgery for blood clot removal, not abuse.
She also refuted the idea that she had confined him, saying he had been attending public events and even traveling abroad freely.
In addition to public accusations, legal action followed. Prof. Kateregga filed a domestic violence complaint, which police investigated. But the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) found no evidence to support criminal charges.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Kateregga filed her own cases:
| Case Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Filed in Makindye Family and Children’s Court (Family Cause 316 of 2024) for child support. |
| Civil Suit | Filed in High Court (Civil Suit No. 0143 of 2025) against Prof. Kateregga and 12 others. |
| Criminal Investigation | Ongoing under reference KMP/S GEF: 078/2025 into forged signatures on company documents. |
She accuses her husband and his older children of fraudulently removing her as a director and shareholder in Kampala University Holdings Ltd. A forensic handwriting report dated 27 February 2025 allegedly confirmed her signature had been forged.
Mrs. Kateregga also detailed the toll the conflict has taken on her and her children. She said she has experienced depression, loss of sleep, bullying of her children, and online harassment.
“I have had to be strong for my children even when my heart was breaking,” she said tearfully. “My only crime is being a woman, a mother, and a Ugandan of Rwandan origin.”
She said she feels punished after dedicating her youth and energy to supporting Prof. Kateregga’s vision and building his institution. Now, she says, she is left fighting for her children’s future, her professional reputation, and her personal safety.
In her final appeal, Mrs. Kateregga called for empathy and fairness.
“I ask the public not to rush to judge based on one-sided narratives. I seek only peace, justice, and a safe environment for my children to grow up in dignity.”
Efforts to reach Professor Kateregga or his legal representatives for comment were unsuccessful by press time.
The coming months are expected to bring more developments, as the courts examine the evidence.
