A growing legal and political debate has emerged in Uganda following remarks by Makerere University scholar and political theorist Yusuf Sserunkuma, who has questioned the apparent contradiction surrounding the detention of opposition figure Kizza Besigye and former military intelligence chief James Birungi.
In a social media statement, Sserunkuma raised concerns over what he termed a “logical inconsistency” in the handling of the two cases.
His remarks come amid reports that Birungi, the former head of Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, is currently in Luzira Prison facing charges linked to allegedly fabricating intelligence reports, including claims tied to Besigye’s controversial arrest.
“How does one understand this?” Sserunkuma posed, pointing to claims that Birungi is accused of generating false intelligence—some of which allegedly informed the abduction of Besigye from Nairobi.
Despite these allegations, Besigye remains detained on the basis of the same intelligence now under scrutiny.
The scholar questioned the coherence of prosecuting the alleged source of false intelligence while simultaneously continuing to detain the subject of that intelligence.
“It does not make sense,” he stated, suggesting a deeper institutional contradiction within Uganda’s justice and security systems.
Besigye, a long-time government critic, has faced repeated arrests over the years, often under heavy political tension.
His current detention has drawn regional attention, particularly due to the cross-border dimension of his alleged abduction and the broader implications for rule of law.