A senior officer in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has been arrested on allegations of espionage for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state.
The arrest, reportedly ordered by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, follows intelligence reports that the officer was leaking classified military information.
The detained officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, is based in the Communication and Information Technology Department at the Ministry of Defence.
According to journalist Andrew Mwenda, the officer was apprehended after allegedly receiving a payment of $300,000 (approximately UGX 1.1 billion) from an undisclosed SADC country. The money was purportedly meant to facilitate access to and monitoring of UPDF communications, a serious breach of national security.
Been talking to the CDF, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, about his struggle to clean up corruption in UPDF and the ministry of defense generally. He would like to inform Ugandans that the army arrested the Chief of Communications and IT (CCIT) of UPDF because he had been paid $300,000…
— Andrew M. Mwenda (@AndrewMwenda) February 3, 2025
The officer, suspected of compromising national security by granting foreign entities access to sensitive military information, reportedly refunded the full amount to the UPDF upon arrest.
While security officials remain tight-lipped about the specifics of the case, sources within the military suggest that investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the security breach. The officer is expected to face charges related to espionage, abuse of office, and endangering national security.
This incident comes amid Uganda’s efforts to strengthen its defense and intelligence structures due to growing regional security concerns. Analysts suggest that such a breach, if confirmed, could strain diplomatic relations between Uganda and the implicated SADC country.
Military sources indicate that additional arrests may be made as the investigation deepens, with authorities working to establish whether the accused officer acted alone or was part of a wider espionage network.
The UPDF is yet to issue an official statement, but insiders confirm that the matter is being treated with the highest level of urgency to safeguard national security.
Mwenda stated that the SADC nation involved paid the UPDF official to “monitor army communications.” He added that the official has been ordered to “pay all the money back to UPDF.” Mwenda did not reveal the name of the SADC country.
This development occurs against the backdrop of escalating conflict in eastern DR Congo, where SADC has deployed troops to fight alongside the Congolese government against the M23 rebels.
The South Africa-led SADC mission in DR Congo has recently suffered significant losses. The conflict has also led to diplomatic tensions between Rwanda and South Africa, with accusations of support for opposing sides in the DRC conflict.
