Political analyst Moses Khisa has questioned Odrek Rwabwogo’s appeal to constitutionalism and due process in defending the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) against Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s accusations.
Khisa’s remarks came after Rwabwogo insisted that any allegations against PACEID officials should be taken before a competent court, with suspects afforded a fair and impartial trial.
Rwabwogo also maintained that Matthew Bagonza, a senior PACEID official arrested this week, should be allowed to defend himself and that the law should take its course.
Khisa, however, challenged Rwabwogo to reconcile his position with previous actions by the Ugandan government against other institutions, particularly the media.
“What’s one to make of Mr. Odrek Rwabogo’s quite intriguing comments?” Khisa asked, questioning Rwabwogo’s emphasis on constitutional rights and due process.
The analyst noted that Rwabwogo had argued that even a private entity could not simply be ordered to stop operating without following due process. He then contrasted the position with the shutdown of a media organisation, which he said had previously been closed for a month without what he described as due process.
Khisa also took issue with Rwabwogo’s remarks concerning President Yoweri Museveni’s record on arrests.
Rwabwogo had said Museveni’s record over four decades showed that there were no arbitrary arrests and that due process was respected. His comments followed the arrest of Bagonza, whose detention was later confirmed by Muhoozi through social media.
Muhoozi had earlier declared PACEID an “illegal organisation” and threatened arrests of members he accused of corruption. He also warned government agencies against dealing with the committee.
Khisa appeared sceptical of Rwabwogo’s portrayal of Uganda’s governance record, saying: “Perhaps Mr. Rwabwogo knows and lives in a totally different Uganda.”
The remarks add another layer to the growing public dispute surrounding PACEID, Rwabwogo and Muhoozi.
Rwabwogo has maintained that PACEID is lawful and operational, saying it was commissioned by Museveni in March 2022 and reports to the President.
He has argued that any change to its mandate must follow an established process rather than being communicated through social media.
The disagreement has increasingly moved beyond allegations concerning PACEID to questions about the rule of law, executive authority and the treatment of suspects in Uganda.