By CHANGE OF GUARDS
“Ensuring that corruption, which has long plagued the civilian sector, remains absent from the army is imperative. We have witnessed instances of corruption within our ranks. Corruption poses a significant threat. When individuals pilfer fuel, supplies, or funds from the army, they become adversaries of the institution.” This statement was made by Museveni at NDC in January 2023.
“It is undeniable that corruption exists within the UPDF presently; denying its presence would be dishonest. Instances of corruption such as fuel theft and misappropriation of funds have emerged. Moreover, why are soldiers being deployed in land evictions? Their role is not that of law enforcement. Such challenges have arisen, and we have addressed them. Fortunately, these transgressions are committed by a minority, often those in proximity to resources. They betray the trust of the majority who endure and report such misconduct. Rest assured; we are committed to rectifying these issues.” This statement was made by Museveni in January 2024.
Indeed, the resolution to address these issues came in the form of dismissing the figurehead Army Chief, Gen. Wilson Mbadi, and his deputy, Gen. Peter Elwelu. Back in November 2016, Brig. Peter Elwelu, who was then the 2nd Division Commander, spearheaded the assault on the King’s palace in Kasese. This operation resulted in the brutal deaths of over 100 individuals, the palace being set ablaze, and the humiliating capture of the king and numerous subjects. It later emerged that Gen. Muhoozi, Museveni’s son and commander of the Special Forces at the time, had orchestrated the attack. Gen. Katumba Wamala, the army chief at that time, distanced himself from ordering the assault. This development irked Museveni, leading to the dismissal of Gen. Katumba Wamala and his deputy, Gen. Charles Angina.
In response, Museveni appointed Gen. David Muhoozi as the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and, in a gesture to appease the Bakonjo of Kasese, appointed Gen. Mbadi as his deputy. Furthermore, Gen. Elwelu was promoted and elevated to the position of Commander of the Land Forces.
Museveni defended his actions, stating, “That means he was doing his duty. Yes, I am the one who promoted him. I am telling you that Elwelu did his duty and now there is peace in that area. It was definitely justified.” This statement was made by Museveni to Al Jazeera in May 2021.
In a bid to further garner support from the Bakonjo in the Rwenzori region, in 2021, Museveni elevated Gen. Mbadi to the position of Army Chief, with Gen. Elwelu as his Deputy. Additionally, he appointed his son, Gen. Muhoozi, to the role of Commander of the Land Forces. Ostensibly, Gen. Muhoozi served as the de facto army chief. The strategic move was aimed at placing him in direct contact with ordinary soldiers, likely for his future presidential aspirations. Immediately following his appointment, Gen. Muhoozi initiated efforts to address soldiers’ welfare. Within three months, in October 2021, he issued a stern ultimatum, threatening to resign from the army if adequate funding for his soldiers’ welfare was not provided.
“We requested only Shs 20 billion to address crucial issues of accommodation, welfare, and security… However, the corrupt elements within the Ministry of Defense have been obstructing our efforts. If my soldiers’ concerns remain unaddressed, I will retire from the army by next year. I am determined to either effect change or step down. Either I enhance soldiers’ welfare, or I depart.”
In a move to accelerate his son’s trajectory towards the presidency, Museveni reassigned him to the role of Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations in October 2022. Beyond leveraging this position to advance his son’s political aspirations, Museveni effectively maintained his son’s de facto leadership within the army. It was crucial for Museveni to solidify his grip on the military, a strategic constituency for his presidential ambitions. Thus, he elevated his son to the position of army chief, ensuring he would be provided with all necessary resources to address soldiers’ welfare.
The dismissal of Gen. Mbadi, who had temporarily occupied the seat for Gen. Muhoozi, was inevitable as the King and his subjects in Kasese had been subdued. As for Gen. Elwelu, his allegiance to Gen. Muhoozi remained ambiguous, compounded by his longstanding aspiration to become army chief. Moreover, given Gen. Muhoozi’s imminent presidential bid, Museveni recognized the necessity of entrusting the position of army chief to someone with a steady demeanor.
However, Museveni is acutely aware of Gen. Elwelu’s lingering association with war crimes allegations, despite his exoneration by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Gen. Elwelu defended himself, asserting, “The ICC set me free; they said I have no case to answer. So, what are you talking about? Those were criminals; I didn’t kill anybody else; they deserved death. Uganda is now peaceful because of my actions, and Kasese is peaceful.” This statement was made by Gen. Peter Elwelu in March 2023.
Hence, by publicly denouncing corruption and mismanagement within the army, Museveni was paving the way for the dismissal of Gen. Mbadi and his deputy, Gen. Elwelu, to make room for his son, who is perceived as the savior of the security sector. Furthermore, Museveni is fully aware that corruption, theft, abuse of office, and diversion of resources within his army are deeply entrenched issues dating back to the inception of the institution.
INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM
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