Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defence forces, has intensified a crackdown on corruption within the military as Ugandan security forces simultaneously battle a resurgence of violent urban gangs.
The year 2025 saw high-ranking military officials arrested under Kainerugaba’s orders. In mid-December, two colonels and a captain from the UPDF Air Force were detained over allegations of inflated procurement costs. These arrests followed the detention of Maj. Gen. James Birungi, the former head of military intelligence, who faced questioning regarding the falsification of intelligence reports that led to operational failures.
While the military dealt with internal graft, police in the Kampala Metropolitan Area struggled with the return of panga-wielding gangs. These hooded groups targeted pedestrians and homes, leading to a week-long police operation in October that resulted in the arrest of 136 suspects. Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma noted that these criminal groups have begun recruiting domestic workers and children to act as spies.
The security situation was further complicated by organized sabotage of national infrastructure. Vandalism of high-voltage power lines across central and northern Uganda caused widespread blackouts, which security officials believe were engineered to facilitate robberies. In response, the government has implemented the Electricity Act, which carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence for repeat offenders.
Relations between security branches also reached a breaking point during the year. Soldiers from the Special Forces Command reportedly raided Lubowa Police Station in April, and a shooting confrontation occurred at Wakiso Police Station in June after 13 soldiers allegedly tried to release suspects held in a land dispute.
The year ended with significant unsolved crimes, most notably the July murder of David and Deborah Mutaaga. The couple, who had retired to Entebbe after 30 years in Switzerland, were stabbed to death in their home. Their children eventually moved their remains back to Switzerland for burial after investigators failed to identify the killers.
