Former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has sharply criticised Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, accusing him of acting above the law amid controversy surrounding the aborted attempt to summon him in a case linked to opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
In a statement, Ssemujju referenced the 2018 constitutional petition challenging the removal of presidential age limits, arguing that senior military officers have previously been subjected to court processes.
He recalled that lawyers led by Erias Lukwago successfully applied to have then Chief of Defence Forces, General David Muhoozi, summoned to testify over the military’s invasion of Parliament during the heated amendment process.
“In 2018, together with others we petitioned the constitutional court over the passage of the constitutional amendment bill that removed age limit to enable Museveni die in office,” Ssemujju stated.
“Our lawyers led by Erias Lukwago asked court to summon then CDF Gen David Muhoozi in relation to the military invasion of Parliament and the violence.”
According to Ssemujju, the court granted the request and the general appeared in Mbale, where he testified from the dock. The former MP cited the incident as proof that no public official, including military commanders, is beyond judicial scrutiny.
“He was summoned and he came to Mbale where the case was heard and he testified from the dock,” he added.
“Muhoozi simply thinks Uganda is his father’s estate and that he is above the law,” Ssemujju stated, in remarks that signal growing political backlash.
The comments come in the wake of disruptions in Besigye’s ongoing legal battles, where attempts by his legal team to initiate proceedings involving Muhoozi were derailed after Lukwago was reportedly abducted before he could serve court summons.
The incident has raised fresh concerns among opposition figures about interference with due process and the independence of legal institutions.
“This is what we must fight. Muhoozi like his father must be vigorously taught that they are servants and not masters,” Ssemujju said.
Ssemujju further framed the issue as a broader civic responsibility, urging citizens to resist what he described as attempts to normalise impunity.
He argued that both Muhoozi and his father, President Yoweri Museveni, must be reminded that leadership is a public trust, not a personal entitlement.
“That is our collective duty as citizens,” he added.
Political analysts say the remarks reflect escalating tensions between Uganda’s opposition and the military establishment, particularly as the Besigye case continues to attract regional attention.
The standoff is increasingly being viewed as a test of the rule of law and the balance of power between civilian institutions and the security apparatus.