I’m going to shoot him to death, Gen Muhoozi threatens missing opposition activist Sam Mugumya

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In a chilling escalation of rhetoric surrounding the fate of missing opposition activist Sam Mugumya, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and President Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has threatened to kill the former political aide.

“People are feeling sorry for Mugumya’s legs? I’m going to shoot him to death,” Gen Muhoozi—widely regarded as the heir apparent to his father—stated in a statement on X, brushing aside public concern over recent footage depicting Mugumya in a severely distressed and disabled condition.

The military chief’s explosive remarks come amidst growing panic and parliamentary scrutiny over the whereabouts of Mugumya, a former aide to veteran opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye. Mugumya was reportedly abducted by armed men, some in military uniform, from a hotel in Mbarara City on August 26, 2025.

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Although the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) previously denied holding him—with Lt Col Edgar Musasizi swearing an affidavit claiming no record of his detention exists—disturbing images and videos recently circulated online showing a visibly weak man believed to be Mugumya, wearing a National Resistance Movement (NRM) shirt and struggling to walk.

During a plenary session on October 1, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr. Joel Ssenyonyi, pressed the government to account for Mugumya and other missing citizens.“A person like Mugumya… We are seeing images, videos of him disabled, still incarcerated,” Mr. Ssenyonyi told Parliament. “If these people have committed an offence, why not produce them in court? Mr. Speaker, no one is above the law in this country.”

Mr. Ssenyonyi also cited claims by Lt Herbert Mabonga—a self-described former UPDF intelligence officer who publicly alleged the existence of torture chambers—and raised the cases of other missing individuals, including Christopher Godi (alias King Zale) and Baba TV journalist Eria Jjengo.In response, Government Chief Whip Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng assured the House that the cases were being followed up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Speaker Jacob Markson Oboth subsequently directed the government to present a full report on the missing persons within two weeks.

Otafiire warns against violence, sparks clash with MuhooziThe political climate has been further inflamed by rare criticism from within the ruling party. Veteran NRM bush-war commander and Minister of Water and Environment, Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, delivered a stern warning against state-sanctioned violence and political intolerance during his maiden parliamentary address.“When you see a general who prefers violence as the best means of solving problems, then there is a problem. The greatest generals I know of are those who resolve problems without shooting a bullet,” Gen Otafiire warned, describing the opposition as the NRM’s “mirror reflection.”

Gen Otafiire doubled down on his critique during a public lecture at Valley University of Science and Technology in Bushenyi, where he openly distanced himself from Gen Muhoozi’s political pressure group, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).”How do you expect a Catholic priest to preach in a mosque? If you want to understand Sharia, don’t ask Archbishop Odama of Gulu,” Otafiire said. “I would rather die on my feet fighting than live on my knees begging.”

The remarks provoked a furious reaction from Gen Muhoozi, who issued a public three-day ultimatum demanding an apology from the senior cabinet minister. Writing on social media, Gen Muhoozi labeled the bush-war veteran a “nuisance” who belonged in an “old people’s home” and threatened to have security forces arrest him if he failed to apologize.

NRM denies hand in abductionsWhile NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo welcomed Gen Otafiire’s calls for political dialogue, he rejected accusations that the ruling party endorses extrajudicial detentions or torture.“The NRM party has never sanctioned any Ugandan to be abducted and tortured. If there is anyone who is doing it, he is doing it as an individual, and it is unfair to drag the party name,” Mr. Dombo said on Thursday.

Opposition figures, including Kira Municipality MP George Musisi, praised Gen Otafiire’s outspokenness, noting that national development requires mutual tolerance rather than forced compliance.As the two-week parliamentary deadline looms, security agencies have yet to officially clarify the operational status or whereabouts of Mugumya following Gen Muhoozi’s deadly declaration.

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The accused, Franklin Babibaasa, a resident of Lunguja Zone in Rubaga Division, Kampala, appeared before the court on Friday, where the charges were read to him.