Former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has told Ugandans not to live in fear of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, insisting that no individual is above mortality.
Ssemujju’s remarks came after Muhoozi threatened to have him arrested following a social media exchange in which the former legislator criticised the military chief’s conduct.
According to Ssemujju, Muhoozi may appear all-powerful, but only God has authority over life and death. He argued that those who wield power through arrests, torture or intimidation are themselves not immune to the same realities of human existence.
The comments come amid growing controversy surrounding the abduction and torture of former Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago.
Lukwago, who is lead defence counsel for jailed opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, had been attempting to serve court documents on Muhoozi after the CDF was sued by Besigye over his alleged role in the opposition leader’s arrest in Kenya and subsequent social media posts in which he allegedly threatened to have him hanged.
Last week, the High court directed Muhoozi to file his defence within seven days in response to the application filed by Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale.
However, yesterday, Monday, security operatives scaled the perimeter wall of Lukwago’s residence in Wakaliga and took him into custody. Muhoozi later posted a photograph of a blindfolded Lukwago lying on a tiled floor, which he described as a “basement”.
The post triggered criticism from several opposition figures and human rights activists. After Ssemujju publicly condemned the incident, Muhoozi reportedly warned that he would be the next person to be arrested.
In response, Ssemujju said he was not intimidated by the threat and urged Ugandans not to look away as, in his view, abuses of power continue unchecked. He argued that public officials, including the CDF, are accountable to citizens and should exercise authority within the confines of the law.
Ssemujju maintained that while anyone can experience fear or suffer at the hands of those in power, no leader is immortal and all are ultimately answerable to history and to God.
Below is the loosely translated interface with Baker Batte Lule (verbatim)
Muhoozi can arrest me, no problem. One time, I appeared on a television talk show with Gen Elly Tumwine shortly after people had been killed in Kampala. Tumwine was gloating and warning that even more people could be killed.
I told him to stop gloating. Many people thought he would have me killed before I even made it back home. But today, Tumwine is dead, and I am still alive. It is only God who has authority over life and death. Muhoozi may torture or even kill, but he takes nothing away from me.
It is only a matter of time before he too dies, just as Tumwine did. Tumwine is now gone, together with the people whose deaths he was accused of celebrating. Muhoozi can kill me, but one day he too will die.
Yes, I will feel the pain of torture like any other human being. Yes, I can have a sense of fear, but I will not stop living my life just because of Muhoozi. As Muslims, we read in the Quran that no one knows where or when they will die.
Some soldiers died in the Luweero bush war. Others died in Somalia. Others perished in helicopter crashes while on their way to Somalia. So yes, I can feel pain. I can experience fear. But I will not lose sleep over Muhoozi. Let him come and arrest me. No problem.
Because after arresting me, will he become immortal?
Will he become an angel whom nobody can ever arrest?
Will he never fall sick?
Will even malaria become afraid to attack him?
Let people stop being excessively afraid of Muhoozi. Muhoozi has a duty to serve the interests of Ugandans, not his personal interests. He’s paid by taxpayers, and those taxpayers have every right to hold him accountable. So whatever he says, I care very little about it.
Whether he chooses to arrest me or kill me is entirely up to him. But I will never live in fear.
Unfortunately this is the type of traineeship USA accords its military students like the current Uganda CDF. Typical of these funny animal looking soldiers who can attack victims like in Venezuela with money, guns and all. Grab the victims, put them in a dark cell of torture, get all the information required, and put up their fabricated cases in a brutal military high court. Mind you USA military academy trained Osama Bin Landen in such brutal military adventures when former President of America was a mere student of law at Harvard Law School! Much of the public is well aware of how the brutal military mighty of this world is determined to rule planet earth at any cost!!
Hon. Ssemujju, I respectfully beg to disagree. This is not about fear of Muhoozi. Yes, you entitled not to fear and/or intimidated, I must say that we, Ugandans, all are. However, we must act and/or do more than exhibit self-assurance. Yes, Muhoozi will die one, and he must, just like all of us will, but this can’t be the reason to condone the brutal abductions, torture and killings of Ugandans which have become a norm in the name of Muhoozi. Lukwago’s arrest and torture should be open up our eyes and minds to act and end this endless lawlessness anarchy of M7’s family rule. I have said it before and will continue to say it over and over, we’re all to blame for the predicament in which we’re in. We don’t value our fellow Ugandans’ lives whatsoever! For 40 years now, M7 has led our country by the rule of the gun and violence. When is enough, enough? We keep recycling the same thing [business as usual] over and over and expect different results. Jakana Naduli said the same thing, that he was not afraid or fear for his death. Poor man, he was not only killed but tortured to death by Muhoozi! How many Ugandans are we waiting to count in order to draw the line? Lukwago is being torture and taught Lunyankole in Muhoozi’s basement! Yes, bwana Ssemujju, you’re right not to fear, however, you’re part of the problem by maintaining that bogus and violent elections are the solution to M7’s anarchy lawlessness and endless rule of pure impunity.
Hon. Ssemujju, I respectfully disagree. This is not about your personal lack of fear toward Muhoozi. While you have the right to remain un-intimidated, the reality is that regular Ugandans live in constant terror. We need collective action, not just individual self-assurance. Muhoozi will die one day, like all of us, but that truth cannot justify the brutal abductions, torture, and killings that have become the norm under his name. Today it is Erias Lukwago being tortured in a basement; before him, it was Kizza Besigye, Eddie Mutwe, Jakana Nadduli (RIP), and Kakwenza. Tomorrow, it will be someone else.We are all to blame for tolerating this predicament. For 40 years, Museveni has ruled by the gun. When is enough, enough? Jakana Nadduli also claimed he did not fear death, yet he was brutally tortured to his grave. How many more bodies must we count? Respectfully, Hon. Ssemujju, validating a broken, violent electoral system as the solution makes you part of the problem. We must stand up and actively end this family-ruled anarchy.
well i have heard you Mr Ssemujju but i need to remind you that after Lukwago’s arrest yesterday, everything remained normal in town. Business was going on normally and no one lost sleep? why?
Because the population has come to learn that none of you has them at heart. mwenonyeza ebyamwe! your effort to fight for human rights and mantainance of the rule of law is aimed at finding eating dinning venues and nothing else. you promise what you never deliver
Dan, it’s very heartening and exceedingly painful that our opposition parties are all looking for their own selfish interests. That is why they’re hooked on bogus and violent elections. I have watched a meeting at the Katonga office recently in which they were gathering signature for the recusal of Baguma from Besigye’s matter. That sounds good of the face of it, howvwer, Baguma is not the root cause. Getting rid of Baguma won’t restore the rule of law in Uganda. Getting rid of Baguma won’t change the status quo of abducting, torturing and killing innocent Ugandans in order to maintain the status quo of M7’s family rule. Baguma’s removal from Besigye matter won’t change the fact that anyone who stands up and against M7’s family rule is either imprisoned or killed. Dan, your point is both heartening and deeply painful because it exposes a harsh truth: our opposition parties are often driven by selfish interests. This is exactly why they remain trapped in a cycle of bogus, violent elections.Take the recent meeting at the Katonga office, where they gathered signatures to recuse Baguma from Besigye’s case. While it looks good on the surface, Baguma is not the root cause. Removing him will not restore the rule of law, nor will it stop the regime from abducting, torturing, and killing innocent Ugandans to protect Museveni’s family rule. Whoever stands against this dictatorship faces prison or death, regardless of who the judge or prosecutor is.We must demand a complete overhaul of the system and a total change of government, not just the replacement of one individual like Baguma. Today it is Lukwago; tomorrow it will be you and me. Meanwhile, Ssemujju boasts about his own bravery and lack of fear. This isn’t about his personal courage. Endless citizens have been tortured by Muhoozi. Ssemujju and the opposition should be focused on ending Museveni’s autocratic rule immediately, rather than managing the symptoms of a broken system.
Semujju, I directly hold you accountable, because you’re on record for saying that elections are the answer to our endless pains of M7’s rule. You have been engaged and supported all bogus and violent elections which have led us in the same position, business as usual. I respectfully challenge Hon. Ssemujju’s stance. True leadership in the face of tyranny requires actionable resistance, not merely declarations of personal fearlessness. While Ssemujju may feel un-intimidated by Muhoozi, the broader Ugandan population faces a grim reality of systemic abduction, torture, and murder. As mentioned above, the list of victims grows indefinitely: from Kizza Besigye and Eddie Mutwe to the late Jakana Nadduli, Kakwenza, and now Erias Lukwago. Relying on the inevitability of a dictator’s mortality does nothing to halt the immediate bloodshed. Nadduli expressed no fear, yet he was tortured to death. For four decades, the current regime has maintained power through violence. We, as Ugandans, share the blame for treating this crisis as business as usual. By endorsing deeply flawed electoral processes as a remedy for institutional anarchy, leaders like Ssemujju inadvertently sustain the status quo. We must move past rhetoric and collectively demand an end to this hereditary autocracy.
Sadly, that this is a state of the nation Uganda is facing. Museveni is very weak and need more rest. On the other hand, Muhoozi either lacks moral judgement or has “mental” problem. We need to pray for Uganda. We don’t need bloodshed again. It’s building up. The ONLY taste of blood Muhoozi has experienced was either in Kaberamaido when he was shot, or a shot from his dad’s pistol. I hope Salim Saleh or Muhoozi’s family members could mentor/counsel him to understand that he’s putting his young family at risk. Muhoozi’s uncle has built his family security within people he cares for-Ugandans(Northern Uganda), NOT in army Uniform/gun power. Word of wisdom to Muhoozi, don’t become a liability to even those who would protect you, become an asset.
But why is Runyankole not declared a national language so that Gen.Muhoji has nothing to do. It would render him redundant
In the paradox of opposite, a show of force is a sign of insecurity!
Without the armed forces authoritarian ethics and the soldiers which he orders/commands around to do his dirty job; Gen Muhoozi is a but a chicken! Deep inside, I wonder how many ranks and file UPDF salute the man with a sense of worth and pride.
In other words, take away the uniform and the army around him, the guy is a scarecrow in the wind.
Safety first brother.remember living heros don’t exist.life is very easy when you choose to be an ordinary person.simpliest evidence just go to any pub/club see how stress-free are enjoying.LIVING IN UGANDA IS SWEET IF YOU WORK
Dan, it’s very heartening and exceedingly painful that our opposition parties are all looking for their own selfish interests. That is why they’re hooked on bogus and violent elections. I have watched a meeting at the Katonga office recently in which they were gathering signature for the recusal of Baguma from Besigye’s matter. That sounds good of the face of it, howvwer, Baguma is not the root cause. Getting rid of Baguma won’t restore the rule of law in Uganda. Getting rid of Baguma won’t change the status quo of abducting, torturing and killing innocent Ugandans in order to maintain the status quo of M7’s family rule. Baguma’s removal from Besigye matter won’t change the fact that anyone who stands up and against M7’s family rule is either imprisoned or killed. Dan, your point is both heartening and deeply painful because it exposes a harsh truth: our opposition parties are often driven by selfish interests. This is exactly why they remain trapped in a cycle of bogus, violent elections.Take the recent meeting at the Katonga office, where they gathered signatures to recuse Baguma from Besigye’s case. While it looks good on the surface, Baguma is not the root cause. Removing him will not restore the rule of law, nor will it stop the regime from abducting, torturing, and killing innocent Ugandans to protect Museveni’s family rule. Whoever stands against this dictatorship faces prison or death, regardless of who the judge or prosecutor is.We must demand a complete overhaul of the system and a total change of government, not just the replacement of one individual like Baguma. Today it is Lukwago; tomorrow it will be you and me. Meanwhile, Ssemujju boasts about his own bravery and lack of fear. This isn’t about his personal courage. Endless citizens have been tortured by Muhoozi. Ssemujju and the opposition should be focused on ending Museveni’s autocratic rule immediately, rather than managing the symptoms of a broken system.