Uganda’s Security Realignment: A Calculated Strategy? 

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba

By: Isaac Christopher Lubogo

In early 2024, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni executed one of the most significant security restructurings in Uganda’s recent history—quietly yet decisively centralizing control of all national security organs under the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). This restructuring, followed swiftly by the appointment of his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as CDF, signaled not just a military reshuffle but a carefully choreographed political maneuver. With the 2026 presidential elections looming, this consolidation of power under a singular command centre is not coincidental; it is a calculated strategy of statecraft designed to preempt threats, control narratives, and secure regime continuity.

Traditionally, Uganda’s security architecture maintained a quasi-functional separation of powers. The Uganda Police Force, led by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), oversaw civilian law enforcement and public order. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), under the CDF, was responsible for national defense, while multiple intelligence agencies—including the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), External Security Organisation (ESO), and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI)—operated within specialized remits. This framework allowed for compartmentalization, oversight, and in theory, a balance between civilian and military spheres.

However, the 2024 restructuring collapsed these distinctions. Under a new command structure, all security agencies—police, intelligence, and military—are now subordinated or functionally integrated under the authority of the CDF. By transforming the CDF into a supreme security overseer and placing his own son in that position, President Museveni has redefined Uganda’s security ecosystem into a vertically integrated, militarized power structure.

Politically, this move is profoundly strategic. First, it creates a unified apparatus capable of rapid response to opposition activity. With seamless control across all enforcement arms, the regime can now anticipate, monitor, and neutralize dissent more effectively. Campaign seasons, which often witness heightened mobilization by opposition groups, will now unfold under the watchful eye of a security framework optimized for control. Protests, rallies, and political gatherings may be interpreted not merely as civic actions but as security threats—justifying forceful crackdowns under military discretion.

Secondly, this realignment is part of a larger succession script. The elevation of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba to the helm of this unified command reaffirms speculation that Uganda is transitioning, not toward a new democratic dispensation, but toward a dynastic inheritance of power. With control over the armed forces, intelligence networks, and even indirect influence over civilian policing, Muhoozi now stands as the de facto guarantor of Museveni’s political legacy. For ambitious power brokers within the state, alignment with Muhoozi’s command is now a litmus test for future relevance.

Yet, this militarized centralization carries deep democratic risks. The checks and balances that once existed—even if fragile—are being replaced by a monolithic chain of command loyal to one family. Civil institutions are being overshadowed by military authority. The Uganda Police Force, which should ideally be a civilian institution governed by constitutional principles, now risks becoming a militarized extension of political will. The result is the emergence of a praetorian state—one in which the military determines the boundaries of political activity and public discourse.

Regionally and internationally, this development raises serious concerns. As Uganda gears up for the 2026 elections, foreign partners and observers must confront the reality that electoral competition is taking place in an environment where power is secured not just through votes, but through force. The optics of a president restructuring the entire security apparatus only to place his son in charge cast long shadows over the country’s democratic credibility.

In conclusion, Uganda’s 2024 security realignment is far more than an institutional reform—it is a political stratagem. By placing all security organs under one command centre and staffing that centre with a loyal successor, President Museveni has fortified his regime against electoral uncertainty. Whether this maneuver will guarantee long-term stability or merely postpone a reckoning with democratic transition remains to be seen. What is certain is that the security landscape of Uganda has been redrawn—with consequences that will shape the nation’s political future for years to come.

About the Author:

Isaac Christopher Lubogo is a Ugandan lawyer and lecturer