President Museveni’s son-in-law, Odrek Rwabwogo, has hit back at his brother-in-law and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba over the recent arrest of his associate Mathew Bagonza. Muhoozi, in a series of posts this week, declared the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) an illegal and corrupt outfit which is being […] The post Rwabwogo to Muhoozi: Only Museveni can stop me, follow the law appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd .
Odrek Rwabwogo
President Museveni’s son-in-law, Odrek Rwabwogo, has hit back at his brother-in-law and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba over the recent arrest of his associate Mathew Bagonza.
Muhoozi, in a series of posts this week, declared the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) an illegal and corrupt outfit which is being used to siphon public funds.
Muhoozi further warned government ministries, departments and agencies against working with PACEID, threatening unspecified consequences for those who continue to do so.
“ALL MDAs and local governments are directed to suspend all dealings with the criminal organisation, PACEID. Failure to do so will be handled accordingly.”
In response, Rwabwogo, the chairperson of PACEID and is married to President Yoweri Museveni’s daughter Patience Rwabwogo, urged Muhoozi to follow the law, warning that the indiscipline created by disregarding established procedures would eventually affect everyone.
Last year, before he said they’d made up following the intervention of the First Lady Janet Museveni, Muhoozi described Rwabwogo as “Uganda’s biggest thief”, allegations Rwabwogo has rejected.
Following the arrest of Bagonza, Rwabwogo said he subsequently travelled to Entebbe and met President Museveni, who, according to him, denied ordering the arrest or operations against PACIED officials.
“I met the President and the President told me that he was not aware and had given no order for the arrest of this officer [Matthew Bagonza],” Rwabwogo said.
Rwabwogo described Bagonza as a young man who joined him in 2010 and has worked with him since, describing him as competent, honest and independent-minded.
“Matthew came to me as a young man in 2010 and has been with me, and we know him as competent, honest, independent-minded because everybody who works with me tends to be independent-minded,” he said.
He said if Bagonza had committed an offence, he should be brought before a competent court and given a fair and impartial trial.
Rwabwogo also criticised the manner in which Bagonza was treated after his arrest, saying even suspects facing criminal allegations should be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law.
He said both the arrest and treatment of a person presumed innocent should be lawful and humane rather than humiliating, arguing that the Constitution, the people and God demanded respect for human dignity.
The criticism came after Muhoozi posted a photograph of Bagonza, who appeared to be half naked, claiming that he was being taught Swahili and would receive more than 3,000 strokes of the cane until he aligns.
Members of Muhoozi’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) have also repeatedly attacked Rwabwogo over his work at PACEID and his proximity to President Museveni.
Odrek Rwabwogo hits back at his brother-in-law Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba
Rwabwogo defends PACEID
Rwabwogo also rejected Muhoozi’s assertion that PACEID is an illegal organisation and a conduit for corruption. He said PACEID was formally commissioned on March 16, 2022, with a specific mandate to help Uganda expand access to international markets and increase the country’s exports.
Rwabwogo argued that a social media post by an individual, regardless of their position, could not by itself invalidate an institution established through a formal government process.
He said PACEID reports directly to President Museveni and that its quarterly and annual reports document its work with Ugandan entrepreneurs and exporters.
According to Rwabwogo, PACEID has helped create and finance value chains in at least 13 products, as part of efforts to increase production, value addition and access to export markets.
Rwabwogo previously criticised Muhoozi’s conduct, calling it an abuse of state power, particularly politically motivated arrests, intimidation and the use of security agencies against government critics.
Muhoozi’s four exceptions
Amid the escalating dispute, Muhoozi said there are only four people in Uganda he cannot arrest — his father, President Museveni; his mother, First Lady Janet Museveni; his uncle, Gen Salim Saleh; and his aunt, Jovia Saleh.
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