PACEID Chair Rwabwogo Says Museveni Did Not Order Staffer’s Arrest, Calls for Strict Adherence to Constitution

What the report says

Odrek Rwabwogo, the chairman of Uganda’s Presidential Advisory Committee on Export and Industrial Development (PACEID), said President Yoweri Museveni did not order or know in advance about the arrest of a PACEID staff member, Mathew Bagonza. According to Watchdog Uganda, Rwabwogo said he raised the matter with lawyers and several security agencies after learning late in the evening that Bagonza had been detained while accompanying international visitors connected to PACEID.

Rwabwogo said he went to Entebbe to meet Museveni, who reportedly told him he was unaware of the arrest and had given no such instruction. He said the next step was to determine where Bagonza was being held, confirm his safety and ensure that any case against him followed legal procedure. PACEID lawyers were preparing for the possibility that Bagonza could face charges and were trying to identify the relevant police station or court.

The PACEID chairman used the episode to argue for strict observance of Uganda’s Constitution and due process, saying suspects should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. He also said institutions and individuals should respect the law and protect people’s dignity, including those who hold different views.

Rwabwogo added that he had visited Bagonza’s family, prayed with them and reassured them that efforts were underway to clarify the situation. He described Bagonza as competent and honest, and said any wrongdoing should be handled through lawful channels rather than arbitrary action.