The two were part of the ‘dancing Generals’ who retired from the UPDF several months ago
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Retired Major General Abel Kandiho and retired Brigadier General Charles Bakahumura, two former heads of Uganda’s military intelligence, were arrested on September 9 as investigations into alleged false intelligence, treachery and other security-related offences widened.
The arrests came less than three weeks after the two senior officers retired from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), alongside 17 other long-serving generals on August 20. The operation was reportedly sanctioned by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Probe into alleged false intelligence
Military sources cited by local media said the arrests are connected to a wider investigation into allegations that some officers fabricated intelligence reports and manufactured security threats to obtain state resources.
The inquiry reportedly involves claims that false threats, including purported suicide bombers, were created to justify the release or use of government funds.
The investigation had already ensnared another former head of Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS), Maj Gen James Birungi, who was arrested and subsequently charged before the General Court Martial with treachery. Other officers, including DIS Director of Counter-Terrorism Col Peter Ahimbisibwe and Director of Special Operations Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, have also reportedly been implicated.
The military investigation is reportedly being overseen under a high-level inquiry established by Gen Kainerugaba, with sources indicating that more people connected to the case remain wanted.
The allegations have not been proved in court, and the exact charges to be preferred against Kandiho and Bakahumura were not immediately clear.
Arrests follow ‘dancing generals’ warning
The arrests also came amid an increasingly tense fallout between Gen Kainerugaba and a group of recently retired generals who attended a farewell event at State House.
Videos showing some of the retired officers dancing at the event triggered sharp reactions from the CDF, who publicly warned that the officers would face consequences.
On Tuesday, Gen Kainerugaba posted on X that security forces had captured one of the generals he referred to as the “dancing Generals” and said another would soon be arrested.
He separately appeared to single out Kandiho, saying one of the generals was “running for dear life” at a farm in Gomba and might attempt to escape to Rwanda. He added that other retired generals could be hiding at the residence of presidential adviser Gen Salim Saleh.
The following day, security operatives reportedly picked up Kandiho from his farm in Gomba District.
The exact circumstances surrounding Bakahumura’s arrest remained unclear, including where he was detained and which security agency carried out the operation.
From military intelligence to the dock
The two officers have held some of the most sensitive positions in Uganda’s security establishment.
Kandiho became Chief of Military Intelligence in 2017, replacing Bakahumura. The unit, formerly known as the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), is now referred to as Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS).
Bakahumura served as CMI chief from 2012 to 2017 before moving to the Chieftaincy of Logistics and Engineering, where he served for several years. He later became Uganda’s defence attaché in Turkey.
Their careers therefore placed both men at the centre of Uganda’s military intelligence system for years.
Their arrests have consequently attracted significant attention because they are not junior officers facing routine disciplinary proceedings, but former commanders who once occupied positions entrusted with some of the country’s most sensitive security information.
Retired less than three weeks ago
Kandiho and Bakahumura were among 19 senior officers formally retired from the UPDF on August 20 at a ceremony presided over by President Yoweri Museveni.
Other officers who retired included Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, Lt Gen Charles Otema Awany, Lt Gen Charles Angina, Maj Gen Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi and Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda.
The retirement ceremony was presented as the culmination of long military careers, with retiring officers commended for their service and contribution to national security.
But fewer than three weeks later, two of the retirees found themselves in custody as part of a security investigation.
Questions over the wider investigation
The arrests have raised questions about how far the investigation will go and whether other retired or serving officers could be implicated.
New Vision reported that several officers had already been arrested in connection with allegations of fabricating intelligence, while a source familiar with the probe said other people linked to the same file were still being sought.
For Kandiho and Bakahumura, their detention represents a dramatic reversal from their years at the top of the military establishment.
The government has yet to publicly disclose the full evidence against them or clarify the specific offences for which they will be prosecuted.
Until such charges are formally brought and tested before a competent court, the allegations remain accusations.
What is clear, however, is that the arrests form part of an expanding military security investigation that has moved beyond serving officers to former intelligence chiefs — placing some of Uganda’s most experienced military figures under scrutiny over alleged manipulation of intelligence and security operations.
