Gen. David Sejusa, a Ugandan military official, was arrested. He is currently detained at a military barracks in Kampala. The official was one of the rebel groups who opposed to President Yoweri Museveni's way of governing the country.
Sejusa's lawyer, Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, stated Sunday, Jan. 31, that the military general was arrested, Yahoo News reported the same day, citing the Associated Press as its source. Prior to his arrest, military police went to Sejusa's residence, Rwakafuuzi added.
Uganda is set to hold its next presidential elections on Feb. 18. Museveni, who went into office since 1986, is running for another term.
Sejusa is one of the groups who staunchly opposed Museveni's reelection. The arrest happening a little more than two weeks before the said election will most likely heighten political tensions in the country, News24 also reported.
Sejusa's association with Museveni goes way back 20 years ago when the latter came into power. Sejusa was one of Museveni's senior commanders when their group declared and won a war against the government at the time. The group claimed that the government manipulated the outcome of the elections to their favor, reports said.
When Museveni became president, Sejusa was appointed general. He also became a high-ranking military official and presided for the country's local and foreign external spy agencies.
Sejusa is now detained at the Makindye military barracks, NTV reported. He will face a general court martial on Feb. 2, Tuesday, the newswire noted.
The current tension started when Sejusa, in 2013, informed the local spy chief to examine a plan to create unrest in opposition to Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, entering the political scene. Kainerugaba currently holds a brigadier rank in the Ugandan military. Sejusa stayed in London after this move, and returned to Uganda last December.
"It is thought that the Museveni regime, which has ruled Uganda for nearly 30 years, and may be facing defeat at the coming elections ... has a plan to arrest top Uganda pro-democracy activists, like General Sejusa, so as to forestall possible mass uprising that is seen as inevitable should Museveni refuse to hand over power to the victorious political opposition," free Uganda, a pro-democracy group, was cited via a statement.
