KAMPALA — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has publicly defended Stephen Nuwagaba, a young man at the center of allegations that he falsely presented himself as a senior intelligence operative and gained privileged access to State House and security agencies.
In a lengthy statement released on Sunday, President Museveni dismissed claims made by journalist Andrew Mwenda, describing them as an attempt to divert attention from more pressing national issues.
The President said Nuwagaba was not a security threat but rather a victim of alleged torture and persecution whom he had personally taken under his care.
“Nuwagaba is a young man in his mid-twenties who came to me as a fugitive, a victim of torture and maiming, whom some elements in the Security Services were trying to silence, including threatening with death,” President Museveni said.
He revealed that Nuwagaba had spent several months receiving treatment in hospitals both in Uganda and abroad for injuries and trauma allegedly sustained during torture.
“I had to send him to the hospitals in Uganda and abroad to save his life. He seems to have improved, but some of the maiming is still there,” the President added.
President Museveni said the alleged perpetrators were members of the security services and that some were already facing court proceedings. He stressed that torture, extrajudicial killings and abuse have no place in Uganda’s security institutions.
“The terrible thing is that these alleged torturers and maimers were belonging to our security forces. Is this what we and the People of Uganda fought for?” he asked.
The President said he had instituted what he described as a “quiet investigation” into the allegations and suggested that critics should first establish why Nuwagaba sought protection before questioning his presence around State House.
His remarks came weeks after journalist Andrew Mwenda alleged that Nuwagaba had masqueraded as a senior intelligence operative with links to Israeli security circles, using that status to gain access to State House and senior security officials. Mwenda also alleged that Nuwagaba extorted money from public officials while claiming to act on behalf of powerful offices.
Nuwagaba has rejected the allegations.
In a statement issued on August 1, he described the accusations as false, malicious and intended to damage his reputation. He denied posing as an intelligence officer or soliciting money from government officials, including allegations that he demanded cash from a senior police commander.
Without directly addressing each of Mwenda’s claims, President Museveni argued that even if Nuwagaba had personal shortcomings, they should not overshadow investigations into alleged abuses committed by elements within the security services.
“If he has got problems like lying, he will account for those,” the President said. “However, the reality on the ground is that the main problem of Uganda is not Nuwagaba seizing State House and the Security Forces, but the criminals, including some in the Security Forces and other organs.”
The President also used the statement to reiterate his long-standing opposition to torture, drawing on Uganda’s liberation struggle and the country’s history under previous regimes to argue that abuse of suspects is both morally wrong and strategically counterproductive.
He further defended the use of both formal and informal intelligence networks, saying information from ordinary citizens has historically helped the National Resistance Army during the liberation war and continues to play a role in exposing corruption and crime.
The controversy surrounding Nuwagaba has sparked debate over access to State House and security installations, with questions remaining about the nature of his relationship with senior government officials and the extent of his interactions with security leaders.
As of Monday, no government agency had announced the outcome of the investigations referenced by the President, while neither the Uganda Police Force nor State House had issued separate statements clarifying Nuwagaba’s official status.
