Ugandan military Sunday arrested its former intelligence chief General David Sejusa who has been critical of President Yoweri Museveni, potentially raising tensions ahead of the General Election on February 18 in which the incumbent is seeking to extend his 30-year rule.

At 9am (0600 GMT) Sunday, a team of military men led by the deputy chief of defence forces, Lt Gen Charles Angina, surrounded Sejusa's home in Naguru, a Kampala suburb before Lt Gen Angina entered the house saluted, and informed the general that he was wanted.

Sejusa, not handcuffed, was led into a waiting military vehicle that was part of a convoy of six and was taken to Makindye barracks, military facility on the outskirts of Kampala, where he is being detained. In the convoy was also the commander of Land Forces Maj Gen David Muhoozi.

The military has been tight-lipped on the cause of the arrest.

“We picked him up today [Sunday] morning. He is now being kept in Makindye. The reasons for his arrest will be explained by the Chief of Defence Forces tomorrow [Monday],” Maj Kakurungu, the army spokesman, said.

Court martial

Kakurungu also said Gen Sejusa would be brought to the General Court Martial Tuesday where he is likely to face a litany of charges.

“He will be produced in court on Tuesday. For now, I don’t know the charges he will face. It’s the prosecutor who has his file,” Maj Kakurungu said.

However, lawyer Frank Kanduho said there is likely to be procedural predicament because according to the UPDF Act, Gen Sejusa cannot be tried in a court presided over by an officer below the rank of a four-star general.

The current chairman of the court martial is Maj Gen Levi Karuhanga, who is two ranks below General Sejusa. “For Gen Sejusa to be tried, the court must be chaired by an officer of equal or higher rank,” he said.

To be appointed chairman of the court martial, you must be an active officer. Therefore, this leaves Gen Elly Tumwine and Gen Kale Kayihura as the only two options.

Most generals are retired. Gen Katumba, the only third general in active service, according to the UPDF Act, cannot preside over the court because of his position.

Last week, Gen Sejusa was quoted in an interview with a local TV station, describing the NRM government as “a dictatorial regime that must be dismantled”.

He also said participating in the forthcoming elections was a “waste of time” and is quoted as having called for disruption of the elections. “You cannot reform a dictatorship. You dismantle it,” Gen Sejusa said last week.

Gen Sejusa fled into exile in 2013 after authoring a letter directing the Internal Security Organisation boss to investigate reports that there was a plan to assassinate senior government and security officers who allegedly didn’t support “a scheme” to have Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba replace his father, President Museveni.

Before his arrest, according to the eye witnesses, two military police vehicles sealed off access road to the general’s home before Gen Angina entered with heavily armed soldiers.
“We saw a van coming in and they opened the gate. Shortly, it came out and was escorted by one of the patrol vehicles,” a neighbour said.

His arrest comes months after losing a case in which he had sued the army Commissions and Promotions Board for refusing to retire him from the military following his application.