KAMPALA — Uganda's army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, has had at least a dozen generals and senior officers arrested under him in the past 15 months and this week threatened Vice-President Jessica Alupo with dismissal and possible arrest, intensifying debate over who will succeed Museveni after four decades in power, the BBC reported.

Source: BBC News, Nov 13, 2026

The arrests, some amid allegations of treason and corruption, have unsettled the military's top ranks and sparked disagreement about whether they are part of an anti-corruption drive or a political purge aimed at sidelining officers opposed to Kainerugaba's presidential ambitions.

President Museveni, 82, has ruled Uganda since 1986 and began his seventh term this year. Kainerugaba, 52, is widely seen as a potential successor and has indicated he intends to seek the presidency in 2031, when his father's current term ends.

Former deputy army chief among those detained

Among those detained is former deputy army chief Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, who was detained on 2 November over allegations that he had plotted to destabilise the eastern Teso region. Kainerugaba announced Elwelu's demotion on X, writing: "The traitor Peter Elwelu is hereby stripped of his ranks. He is demoted to Private." The army later said it had recovered weapons linked to him. Elwelu's family has rejected the allegations.

Other high-profile arrests include former intelligence chiefs Maj Gen James Birungi, who was later released after Kainerugaba said he had "forgiven" him, and Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, who remains in detention. Three former military intelligence chiefs have been arrested since April 2025, according to Uganda's Daily Monitor, cited by the BBC.

Party denies rejecting succession proposal — AFP sources say a vote was abandoned

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has rejected reports that its senior leadership had rejected a proposal to back Kainerugaba as the next president, describing the claims as "completely false". However, five party sources who attended the closed-door meeting told AFP that a vote was abandoned after several members spoke against the proposal.

The military has defended the arrests as part of efforts to tackle corruption. Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja dismissed claims of a succession fallout as "hogwash".

"Whoever is in that office should prepare to hand it over soon"

On 9 November, Kainerugaba turned his attention to Vice-President Alupo, posting on X: "Whoever is in that office should prepare to hand it over soon." He also questioned Alupo's loyalty and threatened her dismissal, adding that the government would operate "on military terms" if he became his father's deputy. The posts were later deleted, and the following day his X account, which had nearly 1.4 million followers, became inaccessible. Alupo has not publicly responded.

Analysts are divided on the motives. Dr Gerald Bareebe, a political scientist at York University in Canada, says the arrests target senior officers believed not to support the succession project: "The result is a broad purge that has affected both serving and retired officers perceived to be anti-Muhoozi," he said. Security analyst Freddie David Egesa, however, says the arrests reflect investigations involving different security agencies rather than an army-led purge.

The succession debate is unfolding against a backdrop of pressure on the opposition. Veteran politician Kizza Besigye remains in detention on treason charges, which he denies, and Bobi Wine, who came second in this year's election, has gone into exile in the US. For now, Museveni remains in power, but the arrests, his son's threats and the competing accounts of party divisions have intensified questions about how Uganda's next political transition will unfold.