Museveni’s second response to Mwenda: Who is the president sending the message to?

What the report says

President Yoweri Museveni has issued a second written response to veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda, according to The Observer, in the wake of Mwenda’s reporting on a man identified as Stephen Nuwagaba. The article says Museveni’s August 3, 2026 message referred to Nuwagaba multiple times, though it quickly moved beyond that dispute and into a broader defence of the president’s record on human rights and allegations of torture.

The piece says Mwenda and The Independent had portrayed Nuwagaba as a significant figure with access to intelligence circles and as someone implicated in schemes involving state officials. The Observer’s commentary argues that Museveni’s reply appeared to be aimed less at Nuwagaba himself and more at wider criticism of his government from civil society groups and international human rights officials, including recent calls for action over repression in Uganda.

The article also places the exchange in a larger political context. It notes that the president used the missive to contrast his rule with that of Idi Amin and to restate long-running claims that his government has not presided over torture or arbitrary violence. The writer links this to ongoing concerns in Uganda about detainees, disappearances and the treatment of opposition figures, while stressing that these issues are part of a broader public debate rather than facts established by the article alone.

In effect, the Observer’s piece suggests Museveni’s response was meant to shape the public narrative around his record, his critics and the state’s conduct, not just to rebut Mwenda’s reporting.