The Uganda army general who demanded an investigation into an assassination plot linked to President Yoweri Museveni’s alleged succession plan, says he is unlikely to return to the East African country anytime soon.
“There is no doubt that on the surface of it, everything points at something wrong with the way the president has been handling the issues of his son. And therefore, the onus is on him to clarify these issues and not sweep them under the carpet,” said General David Sejusa.
“How can you blame someone who is performing his duties and demanding that you investigate specific allegations? What is that logic? I don’t understand it that these are wild allegations so they should not be investigated.”
Until he went into exile, General Sejusa was coordinator for Uganda’s intelligence agencies at the president’s office. Sejusa said it was his duty to call for the inquiry, since the succession plan could destabilize the country.
Sejusa petitioned the administration to investigate rumors of a plot to assassinate senior administration officials opposed to Mr. Museveni’s succession plan.
Sejusa says he did not return to Uganda after his life was threatened.
“The plan had been to arrest me at the tarmac, put me on a helicopter, fly me to a place called Nakasongola, the next day make a mock attack that I was going to be rescued by my rebels, then I’m killed in crossfire. There was an elaborate plan to eliminate me in the process and cover up these serious issues which I had raised,” said Sejusa.
“As a matter of fact I can tell you that it is not only my life which is in danger, but [also] lives of many leaders because the political system has broken down, and the only way to reign in all these upcoming voices of dissent is through force and repression.”
The army rejected Sejusa’s claims and has accused him of breaching an official code of conduct. Senior administration officials have accused Sejusa of harboring presidential ambitions and spreading rumors to create divisions within the army.
“For them to come and deny before any investigations are carried out and then try to cover up, by imputing wrong motives on me who was performing his duty, shows some culpability ... as far as I am concerned, that is merely diversionary,” said Sejusa.
He denied leaking his petition to the press after a newspaper published the contents of the letter demanding the inquiry.
“This was an internal correspondence between chiefs of intelligence. The fact that it was leaked has nothing to with me,” said Sejusa.
President Museveni’s alleged plan is to step down and hand over power to his son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Critics say the sudden rise of Muhoozi, the first son of the president, to the position of the Special Forces Group commander in the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) forms part of the Museveni succession plan. The government denies the existence of a succession plan.
In a recent press statement Special Forces spokesman Edson Kwesiga denied the existence of a succession plan to install Muhoozi as the country’s next leader.
“Uganda is not a monarchy where leadership is passed on from father to son. This so-called (Muhoozi) project is a people’s creation,” said Kwesiga.
The Special Forces group is in charge of protecting the president, as well as the country’s oil installations and other institutions.
“There is no doubt that on the surface of it, everything points at something wrong with the way the president has been handling the issues of his son. And therefore, the onus is on him to clarify these issues and not sweep them under the carpet,” said General David Sejusa.
“How can you blame someone who is performing his duties and demanding that you investigate specific allegations? What is that logic? I don’t understand it that these are wild allegations so they should not be investigated.”
Until he went into exile, General Sejusa was coordinator for Uganda’s intelligence agencies at the president’s office. Sejusa said it was his duty to call for the inquiry, since the succession plan could destabilize the country.
Sejusa petitioned the administration to investigate rumors of a plot to assassinate senior administration officials opposed to Mr. Museveni’s succession plan.
Sejusa says he did not return to Uganda after his life was threatened.
“The plan had been to arrest me at the tarmac, put me on a helicopter, fly me to a place called Nakasongola, the next day make a mock attack that I was going to be rescued by my rebels, then I’m killed in crossfire. There was an elaborate plan to eliminate me in the process and cover up these serious issues which I had raised,” said Sejusa.
“As a matter of fact I can tell you that it is not only my life which is in danger, but [also] lives of many leaders because the political system has broken down, and the only way to reign in all these upcoming voices of dissent is through force and repression.”
The army rejected Sejusa’s claims and has accused him of breaching an official code of conduct. Senior administration officials have accused Sejusa of harboring presidential ambitions and spreading rumors to create divisions within the army.
“For them to come and deny before any investigations are carried out and then try to cover up, by imputing wrong motives on me who was performing his duty, shows some culpability ... as far as I am concerned, that is merely diversionary,” said Sejusa.
He denied leaking his petition to the press after a newspaper published the contents of the letter demanding the inquiry.
“This was an internal correspondence between chiefs of intelligence. The fact that it was leaked has nothing to with me,” said Sejusa.
President Museveni’s alleged plan is to step down and hand over power to his son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Critics say the sudden rise of Muhoozi, the first son of the president, to the position of the Special Forces Group commander in the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) forms part of the Museveni succession plan. The government denies the existence of a succession plan.
In a recent press statement Special Forces spokesman Edson Kwesiga denied the existence of a succession plan to install Muhoozi as the country’s next leader.
“Uganda is not a monarchy where leadership is passed on from father to son. This so-called (Muhoozi) project is a people’s creation,” said Kwesiga.
The Special Forces group is in charge of protecting the president, as well as the country’s oil installations and other institutions.
