Museveni Defends Nuwagaba, Accuses Andrew Mwenda of Shielding Torture Perpetrators in Security Forces

What the report says

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has publicly defended Stephen Nuwagaba, saying the young man at the center of a dispute over alleged links to State House and security circles approached him as a victim of torture and threats, not as a security concern. The remarks were published by SoftPower News in a lengthy statement framed as Museveni’s response to commentator Andrew Mwenda.

According to the report, Museveni used the statement to push back against Mwenda’s criticism and to argue that the real issue is abuse within security forces. He accused Mwenda of protecting or excusing people responsible for torture, while presenting Nuwagaba as someone seeking protection after alleged mistreatment. The article does not provide independent evidence for those claims, but it shows that the exchange has become part of a broader public clash over accountability in Uganda’s security sector.

The dispute is significant because it touches on long-running concerns in Uganda about torture allegations, the conduct of security agencies, and the influence of politically connected individuals. State House, the presidential office, is also part of the context because the controversy involves claims of access and influence around the presidency. SoftPower News reports the president’s position, but further details about Nuwagaba’s background, the alleged torture, or any formal investigation were not included in the snippet provided.