Museveni: there are criminals inside the State

What the report says

President Yoweri Museveni has used a written response to journalist Andrew Mwenda to defend Stephen Nuwagaba, a young man whose access to State House and security officials has been under public scrutiny. In the account published by The Observer, Museveni said the main issue is not whether Nuwagaba has exaggerated his influence, but allegations that members of Uganda’s security services tortured, maimed and threatened him and his family.

Museveni said he first encountered Nuwagaba when the young man sought protection as a fugitive and claimed he was being silenced by security personnel. He said Nuwagaba had spent months receiving treatment for injuries and trauma, and that he arranged care in Uganda and abroad. The president also said some of the officers accused in the case are already facing charges in court, and that a quiet investigation was underway.

The statement broadened into a wider critique of abuse inside state institutions. Museveni argued that even if Nuwagaba had lied or falsely claimed influence, that would be less serious than torture or corruption by officials with state power. He said such conduct contradicts the values of the armed struggle that brought the NRM to power and should not be part of the UPDF or other security forces.

Museveni also drew on Uganda’s violent political history, including killings during the Idi Amin era and the Luwero war, to argue that past sacrifices were not made so that Ugandans would again face torture or intimidation. His comments highlight continuing tensions over accountability in Uganda’s security services and the role of State House in handling allegations against officials.