Security circles are on the edge following the arrest of Major General James Birungi, Uganda’s Defence Attache to Burundi, and the former Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI).
Sources within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) confirmed that Birungi was picked up by military police in Kampala on Friday evening and is currently being held at Makindye Military Barracks.
The reasons for his arrest remain unclear, with both the army and government officials declining to comment on the specifics of the case.
Birungi, who served as CMI chief between 2019 and 2020, has been a central figure in Uganda’s security architecture. He previously commanded the Special Forces Command (SFC), the elite unit charged with presidential protection, and was later redeployed to sensitive assignments, including monitoring South Sudan’s fragile peace process. Until recently, he served as the Chief of Air Defence.
Analysts say his arrest signals heightened scrutiny within the army’s top brass. “This is significant because Gen. Birungi is not an ordinary officer—he has been very close to the center of power,” noted security analyst Charles Rwomushana. “It suggests that something serious is under investigation.”
The development has stirred debate on social media, with speculation ranging from internal army rivalries to possible links with ongoing probes into corruption and misuse of classified expenditure. However, none of these claims could be independently verified.
Family members have not yet been granted access to him, and the UPDF maintains tight silence on how long he would be held.
Maj. Gen. Birungi’s arrest comes at a time when the army has embarked on an internal clean-up, with several senior officers recently investigated over accountability issues.