Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has confirmed the arrest of Matthew Bagonza, a senior official at the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development and close aide to its chairman, Odrek Rwabwogo.
Muhoozi confirmed the detention early Wednesday by publishing a shirtless photograph of Bagonza on X.
The post confirmed reports that security personnel had arrested Bagonza from his home in Entebbe on Tuesday.
However, Muhoozi did not disclose where he was being held, which security agency had detained him or the offence he was accused of committing.
Bagonza heads the PACEID secretariat and has worked closely with Rwabwogo as his personal assistant.
He is also a member of the committee’s executive leadership and has represented it at local and international trade engagements.
Muhoozi subsequently issued threats of physical punishment against Bagonza, including statements that he would be caned in detention.
He also threatened Rwabwogo with arrest if he contacted security officials without the army chief’s approval.
The statements appeared to suggest that Rwabwogo had attempted to contact security officers following the detention of his aide.
Bagonza’s arrest came shortly after Muhoozi declared PACEID an “illegal organisation” and announced that its members accused of corruption would be detained.
He later announced that one person had been arrested but did not initially identify the detainee.
The photograph posted on Wednesday established that the person in custody was Bagonza.
Escalating confrontation
The detention marks a sharp escalation in the growing confrontation between Muhoozi and Rwabwogo, who are brothers-in-law and prominent members of President Yoweri Museveni’s family.
Rwabwogo, who is married to Museveni’s daughter Patience, chairs PACEID, while Muhoozi is the President’s son.
PACEID was established by Museveni in March 2022 to identify foreign markets for Ugandan products, improve export standards and promote industrial development.
Its programmes include Uganda Connect trade hubs, buyers’ conferences and support for export-oriented enterprises.
Ugandan politics analysis
The committee has not been formally dissolved by the President, and Muhoozi did not cite any government or court decision declaring it illegal.
Police and the military had not released an official statement explaining the legal basis for Bagonza’s detention by publication time.
It was also unclear whether he had been granted access to his family or lawyers.
Neither Rwabwogo nor PACEID had publicly responded to Muhoozi’s latest statements.