By Obinna Uballa
Uganda’s army chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni has claimed that security forces killed 30 opposition supporters and arrested 2,000 people following the country’s disputed election, deepening concerns about an escalating crackdown on dissent.
Lieutenant General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the president’s son and a prominent figure in the ruling establishment, made the claim on Friday in a post on X. The statement came amid widespread allegations of repression and intimidation by security forces in the aftermath of the January 15 election.
The election saw Museveni, 81, win a seventh term with 72 per cent of the vote, while opposition leader Bobi Wine secured 25 per cent, according to the Electoral Commission. Wine has rejected the result, calling the election “blatant theft,” and has urged supporters to protest. He remains in hiding after accusing security forces of raiding his home following the vote.
Kainerugaba, 51, who has openly expressed ambitions to succeed his father, claimed that the detained individuals were “hooligans” allegedly linked to Wine. “We have arrested over 2,000 hooligans that Kabobi thought he would use,” he wrote, using his nickname for Wine. He added, “So far we have killed 30 NUP terrorists,” referring to the National Unity Platform, Wine’s political party.
The army chief’s comments follow reports of violent crackdowns, including an internet shutdown that was criticised by African observers and international human rights groups. The clampdown has been widely condemned as part of a broader pattern of repression aimed at suppressing opposition activity.
Kainerugaba’s post also included derogatory remarks and jokes about women, a hallmark of his often provocative social media presence.
Among those detained in recent days is opposition lawmaker Muwanga Kivumbi, representing the Butambala area in central Uganda, one of the regions that saw some of the worst election day violence. Kivumbi told AFP that security forces killed 10 of his campaign agents after storming his home. Police, however, claimed that his supporters were shot after attempting to burn down a vote-tallying centre and a police station.
Separately, a lawyer for the opposition said more than 600 people had been arrested during protests over the election. “In all the charges, our clients are denying them,” opposition lawyer Erias Lukwago told AFP. “Some say they were picked up from their homes by the police and locked up before appearing in court on charges they were not aware of.”
