Kampala: Uganda’s former chief of military intelligence, Major General James Birungi, has been arrested and detained at Makindye Military Police Prison.
He is expected to face trial before a military court martial on multiple charges related to treason and corruption and other serious offences, officials said on Friday.
The arrest follows findings from a high-level board of inquiry led by Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, established to investigate allegations of compromised intelligence operations and internal misconduct within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
“This is not an isolated case. It reflects broader structural issues that were uncovered by the inquiry,” a senior defence official told ChimpReports on condition of anonymity.
“The investigation revealed a pattern of misinformation, abuse of resources, and operational manipulation.”
Otto appointment
Military sources said Birungi came under heightened scrutiny following the appointment of Brigadier Richard Otto as the new head of Defence Intelligence.
Upon assuming office earlier this year, Otto initiated internal reviews that reportedly uncovered irregularities implicating Birungi and his close associates.
Those arrested alongside Birungi include Colonel Peter Ahimbisibwe, then Director of Counter Terrorism, and Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga, Director of Special Operations.
The three are accused of presiding over operations that allegedly involved falsified intelligence and misappropriation of military resources.
“Upon Otto’s appointment, financial documents, threat reports, and internal briefings were reviewed. A lot simply didn’t add up,” a security source said.
ADF Commander’s ‘Death’
The arrests come amid renewed scrutiny of a 2023 intelligence failure, in which military officials reported that notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) commander Meddie Nkalubo had been killed in a UPDF airstrike in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The claim was endorsed by Birungi during his tenure as Chief of Military Intelligence and formed the basis of a presidential address in which President Museveni declared Nkalubo dead.
The information was later discredited after Nkalubo resurfaced in operational intelligence and was linked to subsequent militant activity.
The board of inquiry is also investigating whether the misinformation was planted deliberately by Hamza Lyavaraa, a suspected ADF collaborator who posed as an informant.
Lyavaraa has since been arrested and is under interrogation for allegedly misleading military leadership while maintaining contact with Nkalubo.
Purge Under Muhoozi
Birungi becomes the first former CMI chief to be imprisoned after dismissal, marking a historic precedent in Uganda’s military hierarchy.
His removal comes amid a broader wave of purges led by Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has emphasized the need to restore discipline and efficiency in the armed forces.
In recent months, Gen Muhoozi has overseen the arrest of multiple senior officers, including Brigadier Bekunda Besigye of the Engineers Brigade, over corruption and project mismanagement.
“This is about safeguarding national security from within. Intelligence systems must be beyond reproach,” a senior army official told ChimpReports.
The board of inquiry’s final report is expected to be submitted to the military high command in the coming weeks. More arrests are anticipated as investigations continue.
Source: Chimpreports.