KAMPALA, Uganda — Political analyst and former intelligence operative Charles Rwomushana was seized by armed men in plain clothes while appearing on a radio programme at Radio Simba in Kampala on Saturday, in a dramatic incident that has raised questions over who ordered his removal and where he was taken.
Rwomushana was appearing on the station’s Saturday current-affairs programme, Gasimbagane ne Bannamawulire, when the men entered the station and took him away.
Radio Simba confirmed that Rwomushana had been taken from its premises at Plot 2, Corporation Rise, in Kampala’s Bukoto neighbourhood.
Video footage circulating after the incident shows several armed men surrounding Rwomushana before dragging him out of the station.
At least four men are visible in the footage. One appears to be carrying a pistol, while another is seen with a larger firearm.
Rwomushana is shown holding a notebook as the men lead him away from the studio, with other people at the station appearing unable to intervene.
The circumstances surrounding the operation remain unclear.
Police yet to explain Rwomushana’s removal
Neither the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had publicly explained why Rwomushana was taken away or identified the security agency responsible by the time of publication.
It was also not immediately clear whether he had been formally arrested, taken for questioning or detained under another security operation.
His current whereabouts remained unknown.
Another Ugandan report said Rwomushana was taken from the station at about 10:30am, shortly after the programme began.
The lack of an official explanation has intensified concern surrounding the incident, particularly because the operation was carried out publicly at a media house during a live current-affairs programme.
Who is Charles Rwomushana?
Rwomushana is a prominent and often controversial commentator on Ugandan politics and security affairs.
Before becoming a regular media analyst, he worked in intelligence and has previously been associated with Uganda’s security establishment.
His outspoken commentary has frequently placed him at the centre of contentious political debates.
He has also previously been detained by Ugandan authorities. In 2016, police confirmed his arrest over investigations into material circulated online, before he was released on police bond.
His latest removal therefore comes against a history of confrontations with the authorities, although there was no immediate official indication that his previous cases were connected to Saturday’s incident.
Political tensions in the background
The seizure comes amid heightened political debate in Uganda, including increasingly public disagreements involving Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and his brother-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo.
Rwomushana has recently discussed those tensions during appearances on Radio Simba.
According to current reports, one of his recent programmes focused on the political differences involving Gen Muhoozi and Rwabwogo and the controversy surrounding the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), which Rwabwogo chairs.
Rwomushana had reportedly commented on the dispute and the political dynamics surrounding President Yoweri Museveni’s family.
However, there is no official confirmation that his recent remarks were the reason for his removal from Radio Simba.
An online post reportedly made shortly after one of his Radio Simba appearances also drew attention after an account associated with a photograph of Gen Muhoozi warned that Rwomushana would be “picked”. The authenticity and significance of the account’s association with Gen Muhoozi have not been independently established.
Concern over armed operation at media station
The manner in which Rwomushana was taken has become as significant as the uncertainty surrounding the reason for his detention.
Rather than being approached privately, the men entered the radio station and removed him in full view of staff and other people present.
Footage shows Rwomushana being physically dragged away from the premises while armed men surround him.
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The incident has prompted concern from opposition figures and other Ugandans, who have questioned the legality and circumstances of the operation.
National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Rubongoya was among those who publicly raised alarm over the incident, while former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura described it as the forceful removal of Rwomushana by unidentified armed operatives.
Questions remain unanswered
The immediate questions are now who the armed men were, which authority they were acting under, why Rwomushana was taken and where he is being held.
Until the security agencies issue an explanation, it remains unclear whether Saturday’s operation amounted to a formal arrest, a security detention or another form of intervention.
The incident also raises broader questions about the treatment of political commentators and the freedom of journalists and broadcasters to host contentious political discussions.
For now, Rwomushana’s whereabouts remain unclear, while Radio Simba and the wider Ugandan public await an official explanation of the dramatic operation at the station.
