President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that “intelligence is dead” amid rampant corruption and inefficiency.
“People are paying Shs30 million to ensure a letter reaches me. And if I see it, I give an answer and a solution. Yet, the messenger is paid. We have arrested them,” Museveni said, lamenting the distortion of basic communication channels.
He further accused intelligence officers of being hollowed out by “parasites” who have robbed them of credibility.
Museveni painted a grim picture, for years, he said, he avoided listening to informants until the information inevitably reached him by flawed routes.
“Many are dead and robbed by those parasites,” he said, before adding, with bitter irony, “NRM is a benevolent group and we don’t harm people… these people who plan bad things… they come and report themselves.”
The president revealed how, due to distrust in formal intelligence, even his daughter Natasha, described as “most apolitical,” has become a de facto Director General of Intelligence in his eyes.
“So Natasha tells me, and then I call these people,” he explained. He said this at a function to celebrate his daughter Natasha’s 25 years of marriage to Edwin Karugire.
Museveni’s rebuke comes amid mounting concerns over the reliability and politicization of Uganda’s intelligence agencies
Museveni reveals deep distrust in formal channels, widespread corruption, and the urgent need for reform. By publicly naming these issues, the president hints at potential shakeups within intelligence and security agencies. When the head of state implies that grassroots or personal networks have replaced official agencies, it undermines public confidence in the country’s national security apparatus.
President Museveni’s claim that intelligence is “dead” unveils an urgent and systemic failure across the security and information networks. Whether this public censure will translate into effective reform or further consolidate executive control remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: trust in the formal intelligence system has been profoundly eroded.
Gen. Museveni isn’t known for seeking public sympathy, and his reason for coming out could signal an indicator that he is tired of the rotten system around him, and this could imply an impending sacking and dropping of those in intelligence circles.
Eagle Online has further learnt that, due to this frustration by the head of state, he is surrounded by non-functioning systems. Insiders say the internal fights within the agencies mandated with gathering intelligence are the biggest contributor, as well as a lack of funding.
The ongoing bickering in the External Security Organisation (ESO) between the two topmost leaders, for example, and the internal crisis at the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) involving several individuals, can lead to the current state of affairs. So, the public should expect a purge among the top leaders of these agencies soon.
