President Museveni’s son-in-law, Odrek Rwabwogo, has hit back at his brother-in-law and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba over the recent arrest of his associate Mathew Bagonza.
Muhoozi, in a series of posts this week, declared the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) an illegal and corrupt outfit which is being used to siphon public funds.
Muhoozi further warned government ministries, departments and agencies against working with PACEID, threatening unspecified consequences for those who continue to do so.
“ALL MDAs and local governments are directed to suspend all dealings with the criminal organisation, PACEID. Failure to do so will be handled accordingly.”
In response, Rwabwogo, the chairperson of PACEID and is married to President Yoweri Museveni’s daughter Patience Rwabwogo, urged Muhoozi to follow the law, warning that the indiscipline created by disregarding established procedures would eventually affect everyone.
Last year, before he said they’d made up following the intervention of the First Lady Janet Museveni, Muhoozi described Rwabwogo as “Uganda’s biggest thief”, allegations Rwabwogo has rejected.
Following the arrest of Bagonza, Rwabwogo said he subsequently travelled to Entebbe and met President Museveni, who, according to him, denied ordering the arrest or operations against PACIED officials.
“I met the President and the President told me that he was not aware and had given no order for the arrest of this officer [Matthew Bagonza],” Rwabwogo said.
Rwabwogo described Bagonza as a young man who joined him in 2010 and has worked with him since, describing him as competent, honest and independent-minded.
“Matthew came to me as a young man in 2010 and has been with me, and we know him as competent, honest, independent-minded because everybody who works with me tends to be independent-minded,” he said.
He said if Bagonza had committed an offence, he should be brought before a competent court and given a fair and impartial trial.
Rwabwogo also criticised the manner in which Bagonza was treated after his arrest, saying even suspects facing criminal allegations should be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law.
He said both the arrest and treatment of a person presumed innocent should be lawful and humane rather than humiliating, arguing that the Constitution, the people and God demanded respect for human dignity.
The criticism came after Muhoozi posted a photograph of Bagonza, who appeared to be half naked, claiming that he was being taught Swahili and would receive more than 3,000 strokes of the cane until he aligns.
Members of Muhoozi’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) have also repeatedly attacked Rwabwogo over his work at PACEID and his proximity to President Museveni.
Rwabwogo defends PACEID
Rwabwogo also rejected Muhoozi’s assertion that PACEID is an illegal organisation and a conduit for corruption. He said PACEID was formally commissioned on March 16, 2022, with a specific mandate to help Uganda expand access to international markets and increase the country’s exports.
Rwabwogo argued that a social media post by an individual, regardless of their position, could not by itself invalidate an institution established through a formal government process.
He said PACEID reports directly to President Museveni and that its quarterly and annual reports document its work with Ugandan entrepreneurs and exporters.
According to Rwabwogo, PACEID has helped create and finance value chains in at least 13 products, as part of efforts to increase production, value addition and access to export markets.
Rwabwogo previously criticised Muhoozi’s conduct, calling it an abuse of state power, particularly politically motivated arrests, intimidation and the use of security agencies against government critics.
Muhoozi’s four exceptions
Amid the escalating dispute, Muhoozi said there are only four people in Uganda he cannot arrest — his father, President Museveni; his mother, First Lady Janet Museveni; his uncle, Gen Salim Saleh; and his aunt, Jovia Saleh.
This cry might be the loudest and I hope it is heard!
God bless Ug!
Succession battle, battle lines are drawn! Could Odrek be a challenger to Muhoozi’s project? YES, and very good one. In 3 months we are going to taste the inner circle fights. I hope Muhoozi doesn’t overthrow his father to speed up the process. Reverend Vs The Army General. Both sides are seeing first hand weakening of Sevo.
If Ugandans were to choose between Odrek and Muhoozi, Odrek would win the contest hands down. Why is it that no one from the family ruling this country, has failed to temper Muhoozi, and it’s only Rwaboogo who has come out to boldly challenge the excesses of his brother-in-law?
Sevo set up his own son to fail. Played on his egos…On the other hand Odrek is calm, polite, calculative and responsible father and husband. I believe Odrek might be the one keeping the 1st family intact. Let’s not be surprised when Muhoozi is demoted soon, and perhaps put under house arrest to give Ugandan reason to celebrate. Uncle Tumukunde might be re-called to serve in the army(CDF).Sevos knows how to play his cards and I believe he has already made up his mind. Western Uganda is now being dividend between Masaka and Mityana Road i.e Kyegegwa,FortPortal, Kasese for Muhoozi and Lyantonde, Mbarara, Kabale to Odrek.
This is an embarrassment to Uganda. Museveni must intervene and remove Muhoozi from the leadership of the army. This is not ok . Muhoozi cannot be ok. He’s on drugs or something is very wrong mentally. This is not a leader but a foolish man
I have always shared similar sentiments about Muhoozi’s sanity or the lack of it. All his outrageous outbursts and actions reveal a demented mind.
He is acting in exactly the same way as Trump, maybe he wants to be the same.
Excuse me Jack. This one is in a class of his own. I wish we had more public officials within this regime like Dr Baryomunsi or Otafiire, who have shown no fear in standing up to Muhoozi.
In other words, the contamination of SLOW POISON (curtesy of Prof. Mahmood Mamdani) has finally caught up with both the INSIDERS and OUTSIDERS!
These rwandese should stop fooling us, they’re fighting over our resources all claiming one person can stop him, as if this country belongs to them
He should have cried as much when Sam Mugumya, Eddie Mutwe, KB, Mufumbiro, G. Tugume, Matembe etc were arrested and kept in the basement. I will regard it as hypocrisy until the appropriate happens.
Rwabogo’s PACEID is an illegal outfit which works with taxpayers money yet not backed by any legal Act of Parliament to establish it. Much as it might be doing a good job, it is an illegal outfit.
What both Rwabogo and his brother in law are doing is illegal, so they can go solve their family matters with the one who appointed them. The impunity has reached the palace and the princes are on each other’s necks!
Both Rwabwogo to Muhoozi are fruits of the same tree and one might even be tempted to assume that their public skirmishes only serve to divert public attention from the litany of more pressing issues that haunt Uganda.
Truth be said, it’s hard to justify Rwabwogo’s PACEID’s! What’s the value for all the money sank therein? On the other hand, the fact that Muhoozi is dangerously fanatical cannot be overstated. His endless moronic utterances and X postings are beyond the pale! One wonders whether his delight in torture is schadenfreude or sadism! One would think that one such a “borderline personality disorder” individual as Muhoozi would be considered mentally incompetent to join the military, let alone lead it!
In my opinion, the nepo military idiot serves to coup-proof the father’s brutal regime while the lawyer son-in-law serves to siphon public coffers for the benefit of criminal enterprise running Uganda. Regrettably, they both harbour presidential ambitions.
Mulemeezi, this cabal of a family think: whether we like it or not it is their BIRTHRIGHT to inherently enslave and/or lead Ugandans, .
Think of the absurdity: although Gen MK accuses his Muko/brother in law for syphoning our hard-earned sweat and blood taxpayers money, and funnelling it into his/family pocket through an illegal outfit, PACEID; BUT he completely forgot that: his PLU is also an “illegal outfit”, being Bankrolled through our hard-earned sweat and blood taxpayers money, in the name of “Classified Expenditure” and funnelled into his/family pocket, to fund an illegal outfit of a political vehicle, the terror organization called PLU!, which the Muko and Co. are surely becoming victims.
Otherwise, except through illegal funding; how much does a UPDF General earn especially, sic CDF who is not supposed to patronize or engage in any partisan politics?
I support the arrest in case rwabogo is proven guilty and his workmates
BUT, concerning the illegality or legality PACEID, the mother of all question is: was it established as an Act of Parliament?
In other words, all the activities conducted in our State House, including the Anti Corruption ones are illegal outfits of the wrongdoing (organized crime) of our 86-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa.
Many of Museveni’s entities (PACEID included) exist without requisite statutory authority or clear legal framework! Safe to say that he runs a parallel government out of State House. Museveni is the final authority on all decisions whether Legislative, Executive or Judiciary, which begs the question, does Uganda (with a 50 million and some population) need 550 MPs or 146 administrative districts whose RDC are the fruits of favoritism, cronyism and nepotism all of whom are beholden to Museveni?
Can someone explain all those annual State House Supplementary Budget requests? Uganda is a case study in bloated government bureaucracy!
Ironically, PLU which claims to be a civic movement is now the de facto government in waiting (if not in place)! Irony of ironies, Museveni has now been appointed his son’s campaign manager!
Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) commissioned by President Museveni in 2022, placed under the Office of the President the same year, and started full operation that same year. The committee says it was established to address operational bottlenecks, streamline compliance, and accelerate Uganda’s export growth.
Bank of Uganda sources say, before the creation of PACEID, annual Ugandan exports by 2022 were USD 4.2 billions; right now Uganda’s export value consistently crosses USD 1.2 billions per month (USD 13.2 billions in year 2025/2026)
Now, I highly doubt it’s only credit to PACEID for this growth because we also have 2 giants in this like the recent boom in gold and coffee, but PACEID apparently says they have expanded Uganda’s global presence by establishing “Uganda Connect” trade hubs and appointing trade representatives across strategic markets, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—which now buys over 35% of Ugandan exports—as well as the UK, US, South Africa, and the DRC … and that they target to add USD 6 billion in extra trade revenues by 2028.
My personal life journeys and experiences in a number of first world countries have revealed that these countries have similar committees or departments in various forms and these help cut out the government red tape and aid faster negotiations and approaches to market in some way. I don’t think it is as such satanic … In any case, in Uganda, you don’t need an act of parliament for such special initiatives via the President … just like the President can create special advisors as he sees best as per Ugandan laws.
Now, it’s when you hit the international markets and try to grow rapidly your produce that you realize how quickly frustrating things can be … just look at how easy it seems when one starts a local business until they face reality; now you’re talking of international value chains and that’s a different story, but it takes concerted persistent united effort.
Regarding the authenticity of PACEID claims and contributions, that’s for their appointing authority to handle … since they report to him directly. I wish I had the docket to scrutinize them directly, be assured the public would know everything within the permitted limits … but on the other hand, such establishments also work like military intelligence; global market access can many times be like engaging mafia channels regardless.
AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR ANYONE HERE; JUST INTELLECTUAL ARGUMENT BASES ON AVAILABLE RESOURCES. I STAND TO BE CORRECTED IN SIMILAR MEASURE.
Now, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) is a “powerful” civic and political mobilization platform chaired by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the son of President Yoweri Museveni. PLU originally evolved from the “MK Movement” (a pressure group supporting Muhoozi’s political ambitions) and rebranded as a formal league to promote patriotism, national unity, and youth involvement in development … with Muhoozi utilizing PLU as his primary vehicle to build influence ahead of his declared intention to contest the presidency. PLU’s leader basically crave attention and adoration, but smart play seems to elude him hence the use of military rank, suppression of any intelligent exchange, and use of public threats/violence … this raises questions of his leadership qualities and the legitimacy or competence of his close advisors with the PLU structures. In the face of this, all these other aspirational talk of e.g. growing Uganda 10 fold within a decade is nothing more than secondary school classroom debates; his actions may very much be saying the opposite as they appear to be currently. By the way, why did PLU’s leadership question the 20th anniversary of their leader’s sister … and where was her only brother at her function? 🏃♂️💨 How come, on that very day, her brother desperately tried to create some media clip show of power & influence elsewhere and then shortly afterwards started the attacks on his brother-in-law … hitherto having been silent for almost 2 months?? You see that personality?
Now, serving military personnel are not permitted, as per Uganda’s constitution, to participate in political activities let alone making such public comments or even head organizations that promote that. How the heck does CDF or PLU have authority to do so other than riding on being the president’s son and then causing all this turbulence? Do you see how the courts of law in Uganda are now just rubberstamps headed by intellectuals following the persistent onslaught?
My personal take so far is that the first son is desperately trying to crush and sniff of influence he perceives could be scooper his bid for 2031 … no wonder he quickly declared himself available for 2031 shortly after starting his public spat with his brother-in-law and associates. You can also see how this man is using all tools available to draconize and try to crush any powerful opposition voices; same stead. But how far shall we go before this starts to inflict real regrettable damage to the entire country both within and externally … moreover in this modern era? Hopefully, the President has another card up his sleeves to contain the apparent lunacy of a military son before things escalate to boil-over point.