Shockwaves in Security Circles as Former CMI Chief Maj Gen James Birungi Faces Treason, Corruption Charges
Uganda’s security establishment has been rattled after the arrest of former Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI), Maj Gen James Birungi, who is now in detention at Makindye Military Police Prison.
The decorated officer, once among the most influential figures in the country’s intelligence network, is set to appear before the General Court Martial on charges of treason, corruption, and what security sources describe as “grave breaches of duty.”
His detention follows an internal investigation ordered by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) high command into irregularities within the intelligence community.
A board of inquiry chaired by Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Sam Okiding, reportedly uncovered manipulation of intelligence reports and mismanagement of operational funds.
According to military insiders, Birungi’s case may only mark the beginning. “This is the first in a wave of prosecutions. More names are lined up,” one security official hinted, pointing to the wider clean-up drive inside the UPDF.
Birungi thus becomes the first former CMI boss to be jailed after leaving office—an extraordinary precedent in a force that has largely handled internal scandals quietly. His arrest is being seen as part of a broader purge spearheaded under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Other top security figures said to be in the spotlight of the ongoing probe include Maj Gen Richard Otto, Maj Gen Christopher Ddamulira, Brig Gen Tom Magambo, and Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba.
In recent months, the UPDF has been cracking down on senior officers over allegations of corruption, financial malpractice, and professional misconduct, signaling what analysts believe is a deliberate effort to restore credibility in the country’s defence and intelligence structures.
