The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Acting Director Defence Public Information (DDPI) Col. Chris Magezi has dismissed a recent publication by largely one of the most influential American newspaper New York Times story on autocracy and brutality claims against the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as unfounded, and utterly scandalous allegations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Col Magezi said the story titled ‘The Authoritarian Future is Already Here’ published on October 8, 2026, is a continuation of a vile campaign in recent years by western media conglomerates against Gen Muhoozi, for imperialistic reasons.
“In September 2024, The Telegraph, a British newspaper, published a vicious attack against General Muhoozi Kainerugaba titled “Hardman who may be Uganda’s next president is Putin fan and asked Meloni to marry him.” In September 2025, the Wall Street Journal headlined an article against General Muhoozi Kainerugaba entitled “He Jokes About Trump and Invading Kenya – and May Be Uganda’s Next President”” he said.
He added, “The British Economist Magazine has similarly churned out a succession of vitriols against the General lately, like one recent publication in September 2026 titled “From Autocracy to Despotism”.
Magezi’s remarks come on the back of the story in which exiled writer and lawyer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, during an interview with the paper alleges torture at the hands of the CDF in the infamous basement.
According to the New York Times story, “Mr. Rukirabashaija was repeatedly detained and tortured. He was viciously flogged and beaten so badly that his ankle bones were fractured, his kidneys damaged and his back laced with scars from being whipped,” the Times reported.
“Mr. Rukirabashaija said that General Kainerugaba, the president’s son, twice visited him in detention. During the first visit, he said, the general ordered the author—the taller of the two men—to bend over to make himself shorter and to remove his pants to reveal the size of his penis. Then, as the general recorded the exchange on his phone, he told Mr. Rukirabashaija to kneel on the floor and apologize, the author said.”
The times further wrote that during Muhoozi’s second visit, he offered Rukirabashaija a bribe to keep quiet about the abuse he had suffered, which stunned the writer.
The times further reported on Gen Kainerugaba’s “basement” and President Yoweri Museveni, whom it called “an octogenarian autocrat”.
“Ugandans have discovered that, increasingly, there is nowhere to hide. Civic life here is defined by thickening webs of state surveillance built with foreign help,” the times wrote.
However Col Magezi has dismissed the report stating that the inconsistencies in the story are quite laughable.
“In one instance, Kakwenza, allegedly the taller of the two men, is ordered to “bend over to make himself shorter”, and in the next, his ankles are shattered and “he could not even stand”. Quite remarkable” he said.
He added, “The lies are clear to see, outlandish, cheap, and miserable. What is more, baseless and unfounded character assassination of African leaders should be dismissed out of hand by rational thinking members of society with the contempt deserved”.
Magezi also dismissed Gen Muhoozi ever meeting Kakwenza in his life, calling the celebrated author a known fictional teller.
Magezi further notes that the articles are trivial, sensational and low on substance, with the western media preferring National Unity Platform’s (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine as the successor of choice to a post-Museveni Uganda.
“They would rather have the lackey Robert Kyagulanyi in-charge, or others of similar kin. However, the future of Uganda is a choice that will be firmly determined by Ugandans when the time comes” he said.
Magezi in a rebuttal noted that to reduce Gen Muhoozi, a decorated military officer and his substantial achievements based on social media banter, misguided, and false media reports was absurd and a desperate attempt to satisfy prejudiced western audiences about the supposed failings of Africa.
“Secondly, Uganda is a constitutional and democratic polity. Cherry-picking online remarks or jokes while disregarding the broader institutional and constitutional frameworks, including the laws of Uganda within which the country operates is the height of hypocrisy” he said.
Magezi also noted that the allegations of human rights abuses attributed to Gen. Muhoozi, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, are presented without proper verification and rigorous scrutiny.
“It is hearsay. Serious accusations require serious evidence, not reliance on anecdotal, or politically motivated sources” he said.
Magezi also warned that the forces will not allow external interference in the country’s affairs.
“Thirdly, the UPDF, which General Muhoozi Kainerugaba commands, operates within the confines of the law. The UPDF will continue its constitutional obligation to extend support to the civil authorities when requested or required, for instance, to support the maintenance of law and order, among others” he said.
He added, “It will also continue to hold service members who break the law to the highest standards of discipline and accountability. Ugandans know this. The Ugandan courts are robust and functional whenever evidence is presented, and the political opposition has utilized the courts of law to great effect”.
The story comes at a time when the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, is in Uganda on a fact-finding mission, following concerns raised over gross human rights violations.
