By KAMPALA – The Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the arrest of Colonel Patrick Ssemakula, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Defence Ministry’s Chief of Communication and Information Technology, over allegations of espionage involving a member state of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
According to journalist Andrew Mwenda, who has been increasingly viewed as a key channel for Gen. Muhoozi’s communications on social media, the detained officer allegedly accepted $300,000 (approximately Shs1.1 billion) from an unnamed SADC country to monitor UPDF communications.
“Been talking to the CDF, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, about his struggle to clean up corruption in the UPDF and the Ministry of Defence generally,” Mr. Mwenda posted. “He would like to inform Ugandans that the army arrested the Chief of Communications and IT (CCIT) of UPDF because he had been paid $300,000 by a SADC country to monitor army communications. After his arrest, he paid all the money back to UPDF.”
Sources suggest that the detained officer returned the funds following his arrest, though official confirmation from the Defence Ministry or the UPDF remains unavailable. Deputy spokesperson Col. Deo Akiiki declined to comment, citing the unofficial nature of the reports, while efforts to reach acting Defence spokesperson Maj Gen. Felix Kulayigye proved futile.
The arrest comes amidst growing regional tensions, as SADC forces under the SAMIDRC joint mission face significant resistance from M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The rebels have captured key territories, including the North Kivu capital of Goma, and appear poised to advance further south.
The instability has further strained relations within the Great Lakes region, with South Africa openly accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels. Uganda, which maintains its own military presence in DRC through Operation Shuja, is deeply entangled in the region’s security challenges, heightening the sensitivity of any perceived internal vulnerabilities.
The allegations of espionage by a SADC member state could exacerbate Uganda’s precarious position within regional security dynamics. Such accusations risk complicating diplomatic relations with the bloc at a time when cooperation is critical to addressing the mounting instability in eastern DRC.
The Defence Ministry has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, leaving many questions unanswered about the potential ramifications of the arrest and its implications for Uganda’s military operations and regional alliances.
