The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has declared his intention to seek the arrest of the Minister of State for Lands, Sam Mayanja, over what he described as interference with military command and the improper handling of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers.
Via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Muhoozi wrote, “I will request Mzee for the arrest of the Minister of State for Lands!” referring to President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Muhoozi was concerned about the reports that a UPDF Brigadier had been summoned to appear before the Lands Minister in connection with the contested Kaazi land in Wakiso District.
“We are going to arrest one of our Brigadiers for appearing in front of a Minister, I hear. The next time anyone, except the President and Commander‑in‑Chief, dares to call any officer or man of UPDF for a case anywhere without my authority, we shall arrest them,” Gen. Muhoozi warned.
His revelation follows an intensifying dispute over the 120-acre Kaazi National Scouts Camping Centre claimed by both the estate of the late Kabaka Daudi Chwa II and the Uganda Scouts Association whose legal ownership Minister Mayanja sought to clarify in a petition dated July 25, 2025.
In the petition addressed to Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Mayanja accused powerful individuals of trying to illegally appropriate the land and called for the cancellation of land titles he believes were fraudulently acquired. He argued that the land was originally held under private mailo by the late Kabaka and was never lawfully restituted to the Buganda Kingdom under the 1993 Restitution Act.
Mayanja recommended that 100 acres be officially returned to the Uganda Scouts Association and 20 acres to the estate of Prince G.W. Mawanda, a descendant of the Kabaka, as part of an effort to protect youth institutions and historical rights.
“After thorough legal and historical review, the claim by the Daudi Chwa II estate is the most legally grounded,” Mayanja wrote, insisting the Uganda Land Commission rectify the records.
The dispute has since taken a political and military twist, with Muhoozi framing Mayanja’s actions as a breach of military protocol. His demand for the Minister’s arrest has raised eyebrows and debate on the limits of civilian authority over military institutions.
Analysts say the standoff could evolve into a wider test of Uganda’s governance framework, particularly regarding the independence of institutions, land governance, and the military’s role in civil affairs.
Minister Mayanja, for his part, has remained firm on his legal stance, stating his duty lies in protecting public land and upholding the Constitution.
