The Commander of Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, reportedly threatened to resign from his position over disagreements with defense minister Adolf Mwesige.
According to sources, recently the first son Muhoozi asked for Shs 20bn to improve the soldiers’ accommodation facilities and boost security at various military bases but the Ministry of Defence turned a blind eye.
“We (Land Forces) asked for only Shs 20bn to sort out pertinent issues of accommodation, welfare and security at Bombo (General Military headquarters), Makindye barracks and the Motorised Brigade in Nakasongola but the criminal cartel at the Ministry of Defence has been tossing our office around,” Muhoozi said.
“If my soldiers’ problems are not sorted, I will retire from the army by next year,” he added.
The former commanded of the elite Special Forces Command (SFC) with headquarters in Entebbe, was shocked to find Bombo in a sorry state with dilapidated structures for offices and soldiers’ accommodation.
According to Muhoozi, Division Commanders are living like paupers and the general military headquarters, which in other countries, are the most heavily fortified compounds, lacks a security wall fence.
Muhoozi reportedly said he could not continue serving as a Commander of the Land Forces “when my forces are living like cavemen,” emphasising, “Bombo is a real dungeon. It is a real disaster.” He added.
In the 2019/2020 financial year, the allocation to the security department grew by more than 50% from the previous financial year and the budget was increased to a record Shs 3.6 Trillion from Shs 1.5Trillion
Among members of parliament and other stakeholders questioned the increased spending on defence generated debate in 2020.
“We are concerned with the unexplained sharp increase of the country’s security and defense expenditure,” said Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda in 2020.
“Significantly to note is the fact that, classified expenditure has also correspondingly increased from Shs 347 billion in 2017, to Shs 640 billion in 2018 and to2.1 trillion in the new budget of 2019/2020,” he added.
Adolf Mwesige the defence minister stated that the money would be “spent on items that are crucial for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and national security.
He also added that some of the equipment procured is helicopters, marine boats infantry fighting vehicles and artillery guns.