Veteran political commentator and Member of Parliament Ofwono Opondo has maintained his refusal to apologise to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, insisting that the military commander has no legal authority to compel him to issue an apology.
Opondo, who has been at the centre of a public confrontation with Muhoozi, reiterated his position during Thursday’s edition of NBS Frontline, where he dismissed the General’s demand for a public apology on his knees as legally unfounded.
The outspoken legislator insisted that he could not be forced to comply with an ultimatum issued by a military officer, arguing that Uganda’s laws do not provide for such an arrangement.
“I cannot apologize as required by the CDF because that is legally not provided for,” Opondo stated during the live broadcast.
His remarks effectively signal that he has no intention of backing down, even after the expiration of the seven-day deadline issued by Muhoozi.
The confrontation dates back to November 5, when Gen. Kainerugaba accused Opondo of insulting him in social media exchanges and subsequently demanded a public apology within one week.
The CDF’s demand sparked debate over the limits of military authority, freedom of expression and whether a serving military commander can use his position to compel a civilian political figure to make a public apology.
Opondo immediately rejected the ultimatum, making it clear that he would not be intimidated into submission. He previously declared that the seventh day of Muhoozi’s deadline would find him peacefully at his ancestral home in Mulanda-Ayago, Tororo District.
With the deadline now expired, Opondo appears determined to maintain his position rather than offer the apology demanded by the General.
The standoff has attracted attention because it involves two prominent figures with considerable influence in Uganda’s political and security circles. Muhoozi, as CDF, heads the country’s military establishment, while Opondo is a veteran political commentator and public figure known for his outspoken views on national affairs.
Opondo’s latest remarks also raise broader questions about the relationship between military leadership, civilian political participation and constitutional freedoms in Uganda.
For now, the legislator has made his position unmistakably clear: he will not apologise on Muhoozi’s terms, arguing that no military ultimatum can override the law.
Whether the General will take further action following the expiration of his seven-day deadline remains to be seen.
