Muhoozi orders release of ex-CMI boss Birungi despite ‘great crimes’
Ugandan Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has ordered the release of former military intelligence chief Maj Gen James Birungi. Despite labeling Birungi's actions as 'great crimes,' Muhoozi cited his Christian faith as the reason for the pardon.
Why it matters
The decision highlights the intersection of personal religious conviction and military justice in Ugandan governance, raising questions about the future of the ongoing court-martial proceedings.
Ex-CMI chief Maj Gen James Birungi in the dock at the General Cort Martial in Makindye, Kampala recently. PHOTO/FILE/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has ordered the release of former military intelligence chief Maj Gen James Birungi, who has been detained since August 2025, citing forgiveness despite describing the officer’s alleged actions as serious crimes.
The First Son announced the decision on his official X account, saying his Christian faith had influenced his decision to pardon the former head of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), now known as the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS).
“Maj Gen Birungi committed great crimes against our army and people. He should rightly have faced a very severe sentence,” Gen Muhoozi posted.
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