Uganda army officers arrested over plot to oust president Yoweri Museveni

Uganda: A Ugandan military official on Sunday confirmed the arrest of several military officers, including some senior ones, over an alleged plan to oust President Yoweri Museveni.

A colonel and more military officers were detained on Saturday said military spokesman Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda.
According to Ankunda, the officers have suspicious connections to an opposition lawmaker, Michael Kabaziguruka, who is currently being investigated by the police over the same allegations.
Kabaziguruka is said to be a close ally of jailed opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who was charged with treason following a controversial presidential election in February.
Museveni has been in power since 1986, when he took power from an elected government after a guerrilla war.
Besigye and many others who were his colleagues at the time, have since cut ties with Museveni, accusing him of becoming a dictator.

The charges brought against Besigye, who was once part of Museveni’s government, have been condemned by some as an attempt to subdue the opposition.
Layer to Besigye, Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi said the treason allegations against Kabaziguruka and the army officers are “stage-managed” in an effort to keep Besigye in jail.

“Their interest is in Besigye,” he said, referring to the state.”There is nothing treasonable he has done.”