About two weeks ago, President Yoweri Museveni ordered the withdrawal of Tumukunde’s guards after he learnt of Tumukunde’s presidential ambitions.

Indeed last week, Tumukunde declared his intentions to contest for the presidency against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the forthcoming 2021 general elections. The former spymaster reportedly knew about the impending arrest after information was leaked to him about the two security meetings that discussed his arrest.

In one of the meetings, sources say, it was discussed that Tumukunde ought to be arrested for his continued utterances on different media that he ‘fooled’ Museveni into retiring him from the army by committing false allegiance and loyalty.

In the meetings, it was also discussed the possible charges Tumukunde would face and it was zeroed on treason after he said that Rwanda should support regime change in Uganda.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga today confirmed the treason charges.

“The arrest follows his utterances in a series of radio and television interviews, which seek to foster hatred that might lead to inter-community violence, tormenting and glorifying violence in general. He, in addition, calls on the support of a neighbouring country to support him in removing the current leadership with or without the ballot.” Enanga said in a statement. 

“He is, therefore, being charged under Sections 23(2) b and 23(3)b, of the Penal code Act, which deals with instigating persons to invade the Republic of Uganda and inciting any persons to make mutinous assembly.”

Before his arrest, Tumukunde became even more suspicious on Thursday after his own security noticed an unusual surge of customers at his Lawns restaurant near his home in Kololo. Some of the disguised customers were reportedly intelligence officers. 

Tumukunde has been telling Ugandans who were questioning his presidential intentions if they were genuine because he vehemently campaigned for Museveni in the 2016 elections despite being opposed to the lifting the presidential term limits earlier.

Tumukunde said unlike his fellow comrades such as Gen David Sejusa (formerly Tinyefuza) who refused to be ‘flexible’, he had to be tactical and approached the commander in chief, Museveni to campaign for him and offered to dismantle former prime minister Amama Mbabazi’s presidential ambitions. 

In interviews with NBS TV, NTV, Capital FM last week, Tumukunde repeatedly said while campaigning for Museveni, he also milked the situation and used the president’s money and other structures to reach out to the people to his advantage and that he will use to oust Museveni out of power in the forthcoming elections next year. 

He’s been calling on the opposition to unite and Ugandans to massively vote the regime saying even with rigging, Ugandans can overwhelm the state because it is not easy to increase Museveni’s votes from 11% to 50% through rigging. 

Tumukunde also questioned first son, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s alleged accelerated promotions in the army saying he was unfairly promoted favoured by his father.Â