President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has strongly defended the recent operations by Uganda’s security agencies, insisting they are intended to end impunity, strengthen the rule of law and protect Uganda’s stability rather than reverse the country’s democratic gains.
In a nationally televised address from State House Entebbe on Saturday July 4th, 2026, Museveni said he was responding to concerns raised by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda over justice, human rights, trade order and environmental protection.
The religious leaders had expressed concern over allegations of disappearances, illegal detentions and human rights violations, warning that they risked undermining the peace and freedoms the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has championed over the last four decades.
The President used the address to defend his government’s record, arguing that the NRM’s concept of justice has always been rooted in traditional African values that emphasize truth, accountability and restorative justice rather than legal technicalities.
Museveni recalled the 1982 execution of NRA fighters Zabuloni and his colleague after they killed three civilians in Semuto while drunk, saying the decision demonstrated that no one was above the law and helped establish public confidence in the NRA during the liberation struggle. He criticized what he called the colonial legal system for allowing suspects to evade responsibility through legal arguments instead of establishing the truth.
He further argued that Uganda’s indigenous justice system demanded full accountability, unlike the colonial legal framework which, according to him, often focused on courtroom procedures rather than substantive justice. Museveni explained traditional concepts such as okuhonga (compensation) for minor offences and okukaraba (blood settlement) for murder, saying these promoted reconciliation while ensuring offenders accepted responsibility.
The President said the NRM maintained the same philosophy after taking power in 1986, noting that several soldiers had publicly been executed for murdering civilians as a demonstration that impunity would not be tolerated.
Museveni attributed some of the governance challenges experienced over the years to the deaths of many of the original NRA commanders after the bush war. He said their replacement by what he described as careerists and opportunists contributed to corruption within the army, including theft of military fuel, rations and public funds.
Despite those challenges, Museveni said Uganda had maintained peace, rebuilt the economy and attracted widespread public support, with NRM membership reaching about 18 million by May 2025. However, he acknowledged that corruption, crime and failures within the political class, bureaucracy and judiciary continued to undermine the country’s progress.
The President defended the recruitment and ideological training of young officers, including current Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and his colleagues, saying the move was intended to preserve the revolutionary values of the NRA and prepare a disciplined generation capable of addressing emerging security challenges. He said the recent actions by security agencies were long overdue efforts to close gaps in fighting corruption, criminality and impunity.
Museveni accused sections of the political class, legal fraternity and some foreign interests of using the law to shield criminals and frustrate development. He said false reports about Uganda had scared away investors and tourists despite the country’s progress, arguing that security agencies had stepped in because civilian institutions had failed to act decisively.
The President cited the exposure of an alleged bribery racket operating within State House, where individuals reportedly demanded Shs30 million to deliver documents to him, saying the suspects had since been arrested after the matter was reported by State Minister Fred Byamukama.
Turning to opposition politics, Museveni questioned why opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye had allegedly refused to proceed with his trial after his arrest in November 2024, arguing that an innocent person should welcome the opportunity to prove their case in court. He blamed prolonged legal delays for encouraging mob justice, saying many Ugandans no longer trusted the justice system to hold offenders accountable.
Museveni also accused some opposition supporters of promoting violence by attacking police officers, threatening to burn Kampala, intimidating NRM supporters and rejecting lawful electoral outcomes. He maintained that such conduct had compelled security agencies to intervene more firmly to preserve public order. He added that suspects who threaten witnesses should not expect bail.
Rejecting claims that Uganda was returning to the dark days of political repression, Museveni dismissed the slogan “Bizeemu” as false. He argued that unlike previous regimes where arrested persons disappeared or were killed, suspects today appear before courts of law and are accorded legal processes.
He insisted that security officers who commit offences would also be held accountable, citing the government’s compensation and reconciliation with the family of a man known as Zebra who died following contact with security personnel in 2021.
On trade order, Museveni defended the government’s crackdown on street hawking, describing the practice as harmful to businesses, tax collection, public health and road safety. He argued that hawkers unfairly compete with licensed traders because they pay neither rent nor taxes while exposing food and other goods to contamination.
He directed local governments to identify land where former hawkers can establish organized trading centres but insisted that every trader must be licensed, identifiable and accountable for taxes and the quality of goods sold.
The President also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring wetlands and protecting natural forests.
He said wetland encroachment was a threat to Uganda’s future because nearly 40 percent of the country’s rainfall depends on wetlands within Uganda and neighbouring countries.
Museveni questioned how individuals could claim ignorance while settling in wetlands, saying their defining characteristics are obvious. He warned that the operation to reclaim wetlands and protect forests would continue, although the government would examine claims by some occupants that they had been authorised by officials. He also expressed concern over reports of charcoal burning in Mabira Forest and demanded accountability from the National Forestry Authority and local leaders.
On corruption, Museveni appealed to Ugandans to report theft of public resources, particularly in health centres and the Parish Development Model programme. He urged citizens to elect honest leaders during the forthcoming LC1 and Women Council elections, arguing that corruption can be defeated if citizens expose dishonest officials.
The President concluded by calling on Ugandans to participate in the NRM barazas scheduled for July 10, the Women Council elections on July 23 and the LC1 elections on July 28, saying strong local leadership was essential in strengthening accountability, fighting corruption and advancing national development.