The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth-Oboth, has requested the parliamentary committee on Defence and Internal Affairs to postpone a meeting initially planned for Monday, January 20, 2025.
In a letter sent over the weekend, Oboth-Oboth explained that the Ministry would be unable to attend due to a conflicting engagement with the Cabinet. The meeting, which was intended to include the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, had been rescheduled after the committee previously determined that the Ministry’s representation was insufficient. Although the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (D/CDF) had attended the earlier meeting on January 17, the absence of the CDF led to the adjournment.
“The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs was invited to meet with the parliamentary committee on January 17, 2025. While the meeting was well-attended, the committee deemed the Ministry’s delegation incomplete without the physical presence of the Chief of Defence Forces. Consequently, we were directed to return on January 20, 2025. However, due to a prior commitment to present to the Cabinet on the same date, we are unable to appear as instructed. We kindly request a new date for this engagement,” read the letter signed by Minister Oboth-Oboth, a copy of which has been seen by Uganda Radio Network.
The earlier meeting had witnessed heightened tensions, with MPs raising concerns over Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s controversial public statements on social media. The MPs insisted that addressing the Ministry’s budget would only proceed after Gen. Muhoozi provided clarity on the rationale behind his contentious remarks.
The Defence Committee, chaired by Nyabushozi County MP Wilson Kajwengye, also includes UPDF representative Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu. During last week’s session, legislators expressed frustration over Muhoozi’s inflammatory posts on X, formerly Twitter, where he had issued threats against foreign nations and prominent opposition figures, including National Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi and Dr. Kizza Besigye.
In reaction to being summoned by Parliament, Muhoozi reportedly dismissed the MPs as “clowns” and declared that he would not appear before them. Before his account was deactivated, he had also made threats to arrest the legislators instead of responding to their summons.
The parliamentary committee now faces the challenge of determining a new date for the Ministry’s appearance, amidst mounting public and parliamentary scrutiny over Muhoozi’s conduct and its implications for national defense leadership.