Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has ordered the release of retired Brig Gen Charles Bakahumura from military detention, announcing plans to restore relations that had deteriorated between them.
Gen Muhoozi made the announcement on Saturday, October 31, 2026, through his official X account, signalling a change in his position towards the former military intelligence chief who had been held as part of investigations involving senior military officers.
“I have decided to release General Bakahumura from detention today. We shall repair the relations that were broken in the past,” Gen Muhoozi posted.
Bakahumura’s release comes nearly two months after he was arrested alongside retired Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, another former head of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), now known as Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS).
The two retired officers were reportedly picked up in September 2026, shortly after their retirement from active military service, as investigations into alleged false intelligence and treachery widened within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Bakahumura is a former head of CMI, having served in the position between 2012 and 2017 before being appointed Chief of Logistics and Engineering, a position he held for seven years.
His arrest followed a series of investigations targeting serving and retired military intelligence officers under the leadership of Gen Muhoozi.
Among those previously detained were former DIS chief Maj Gen James Birungi, Director of Counter-Terrorism Col Peter Ahimbisibwe and Director of Special Operations Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga.
Birungi and Byaruhanga were subsequently charged with treachery before the General Court Martial and remanded to Makindye Military Police Barracks.
Bakahumura’s release is the latest development in the unfolding military investigations that have affected several senior officers, although Gen Muhoozi’s announcement did not explain the circumstances surrounding the decision or whether the investigations against the retired general had been concluded.
The CDF’s pledge to repair relations also introduces a reconciliation element to the matter, with his public message suggesting that the disagreements between him and Bakahumura had gone beyond the circumstances surrounding the latter’s detention.
There was no immediate detailed statement from the UPDF explaining whether other officers held in connection with the investigations would also be released.
The development follows months of changes within the military intelligence command, including investigations, arrests and leadership changes involving senior officers who previously served in key security positions.
