Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has revealed details of meetings between him and first son, also Commander Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The award-winning Ugandan writer has claimed that Lt Gen Kainerugaba, who also advises his father Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni on special operations, attempted to convince him to take up a juicy job and huge sums of money.
On January 11, court charged Rukirabashaija with disturbing President Museveni and son’s peace. (Read story here).
He had been in detention since December 28 when he was arrested from Kisaasi, Kampala after he reportedly attacked President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni and his son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Twitter (Read story here).
On January 25, Buganda Road Court chief magistrate Dr Douglas Singiza granted bail to Rukirabashaija.
His lawyers led by Counsel Kiiza relied on a Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) medical report which shows shocking revelations about the torture of the Muhoozi critic. (Read the story here).
Following his re-arrest minutes after court granted him bail, Rukirabashaija was finally dumped at his home in Iganga in the wee hours of January 26. (Read story here).
Now out, Rukirabashaija has asked court to withdraw charges of offensive communication slapped on him.
His argument, which he filed before Buganda Road Court in Kampala in Miscellaneous Application Number 20 of 2022, is that he suffered gross human rights violations, including torture at the hands of suspected security officers from the elite Special Forcese Command (SFC).
Rukirabashaija has also told court that Lt Gen Kainerugaba visited him during his torture sessions.
The 33-year-old says the first son offered him a job and money provided he stopped criticizing the government.
“Among the people who met me during my torture and kidnap was Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba who offered me jobs including working with him and other SFC generals, [and] gagged me from talking to the media and the public about the torture,” wrote the youthful writer who belongs to the FDC party.
He adds that he rejected the offers.
“My position to the torturers was clear: that I am not interested in any appointments, not interested in material posessions which were tied to the conditions of the dictator. This has been my position ever since the regime interested itself in my writings.”
Rukirabashaija further explained to the first son why he criticizes him and his father.
“I emphasized to them that I do not criticise government because I need such benefits but because of my decent respect for rule of law and good governance,” he wrote in his application.
“One cannot genuinely fight injustice and then begin to praise it because he has received material benefits.”
