Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has ordered the Chief of Defence Forces and President Museveni’s Son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to immediately release Edward Ssebuufu, widely known as Eddie Mutwe, who is allegedly held in military custody since his arrest on April 27, 2025.
The directive, issued by UHRC Chairperson Hon. Mariam Wangadya on May 2, 2025, cited unlawful detention and warned that continued custody of Eddie Mutwe under the CDF’s directives may constitute contempt under Article 53(1)(d) of the Constitution.
“Whereas Edward Rogers Ssebuufu also known as Eddie Mutwe has been in your custody since 26th April, 2025 and whereas the Commission is satisfied that he is being unlawfully detained or restricted, this is to direct you to cause the immediate release of Edward Rogers Ssebuufu from your custody failure of which, you may be liable for contempt under Article 53(1) (d) of the Constitution,” Mrs Wangadya wrote in a Friday release order received by CDF’s office.
Eddie Mutwe, the chief bodyguard to opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), was reportedly abducted by armed men in civilian attire and military fatigues when he was returning from Mukono District, where he attended a function earlier that day.
His whereabouts remained unknown until May 1, when Gen Kainerugaba publicly acknowledged detaining him. In a series of inflammatory posts on X (formerly Twitter), Gen. Kainerugaba Thursday shared a photograph of a shirtless Mutwe with a bloodied nose, stating, “He is in my basement… You are next!” and further threatened, “I still have to castrate him.”
The CDF’s admissions have drawn widespread condemnation. On Friday, the Uganda Law Society denounced the actions of Museveni’s son as part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent.
The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General, David Lewis Rubongoya, later in the day described the images as “shocking” and “disgusting,” asserting they provide clear evidence of state brutality.
The situation escalated further when, on May 2, soldiers from the Special Forces Command (SFC) reportedly raided and cordoned off NUP headquarters in Kampala, disrupting a planned solidarity gathering for Mutwe.
It remains to be seen if UHRC’s order will be honoured by the CDF, but one thing clear is that the commission’s intervention is a show of proof of the growing concern over the rule of law and human rights in Uganda, especially in the lead-up to the 2026 general elections.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative anews platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp for realtime updates.
