By Aggrey Baba
Hon. David Kabanda, the Secretary General (SG) of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), has launched an attack on UNAID director and wife to Dr. Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition leader, Winnie Byanyima after she criticised the first son and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Muhoozi Kainerugaba and the entire Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) in response to concerns raised by a senior United States senator.
Kabanda, a known ally of the CDF, whose political mobilization platform he serves as the SG, accused Byanyima of consistently undermining Uganda internationally and amplifying foreign criticism against the country.
The exchange followed remarks by James Risch, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who, through a tweet, raised concerns about Uganda’s role in regional security, particularly its conduct in South Sudan.
Risch suggested that Uganda’s reputation as a security partner was being questioned, writing that the country had “shifted from a reliable security partner to an exporter of brutality,” and that such evidence should trigger a reassessment of bilateral relations.
Responding on X, Byanyima welcomed the senator’s concerns and argued that statements previously made by Kainerugaba himself had acknowledged the conduct cited in international reports.
“Gen Muhoozi has himself publicly boasted about UPDF brutality against South Sudanese civilians cited in the UN report. There is no denial,” Byanyima wrote.
She also accused the first son of repeatedly threatening political opponents, including opposition leaders Kizza Besigye and NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), while urging international partners not to ignore alleged abuses.
“Ugandans, South Sudanese and all the people of our region deserve peace and professional armies accountable to elected civilian governments,” Byanyima added.
Kabanda responded with a strongly worded message, accusing Byanyima of engaging in what he described as long-standing activism aimed at damaging Uganda’s image abroad.
“Madame Winnie, your sell-out efforts against Uganda are well known,” Kabanda noted, adding that such efforts had not yielded much.
He further argued that Uganda and NRM remained strong despite what he described as external pressure amplified by selfish people like Byanyima.
Kabanda also framed the dispute in political terms, pointing to the growing influence of Muhoozi, the leader of the pressure group he serves as the SG.
Referring directly to Muhoozi, Kabanda said the rising influence of his boss would be “real bad news” for Byanyima suggesting that their political relevance was declining.
“And for Gen MK, the man u have hated for years, it’s going to be real bad news for u especially as his influence continues to grow while yours fades,” Kabanda added.
The exchange highlights the widening political divide between supporters of Kainerugaba and critics aligned with opposition figures.
Besigye, a long-time political critic of Museveni, remains incarcerated, a development that continues to draw attention from both domestic activists and international observers.
The dispute also reflects growing international scrutiny of Uganda’s military engagements in the region, particularly in South Sudan, where the UPDF has previously been deployed in support of government forces. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
