Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has made a striking announcement concerning the Presidential Advisory Council on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), saying security agencies have started arresting individuals he described as criminals within the organisation.

Muhoozi, who is also the Chief of Defence Forces, reportedly said President Yoweri Museveni had instructed him to pursue all those allegedly involved in criminal activities within the organisation.

“We have started arresting the criminals in PACEID. Mzee has told me to get all of them!” Muhoozi reportedly stated, referring to Museveni as “Mzee.”

The statement has attracted attention because PACEID is associated with Odrek Rwabwogo, a businessman and presidential adviser who is also Museveni’s son-in-law and Muhoozi’s brother-in-law.

The comments therefore come against the backdrop of a politically significant relationship within Uganda’s first family, making Muhoozi’s reported warning particularly notable.

PACEID was established to support Uganda’s efforts to increase exports, promote industrial development and connect local producers to international markets. The organisation has been involved in initiatives aimed at improving the country’s export performance and supporting value addition.

Muhoozi’s latest remarks, however, shift attention from the organisation’s development mandate to alleged criminal conduct by some individuals associated with it.

The CDF did not, in the reported statement, provide detailed information about the specific offences allegedly committed or identify all the people targeted in the arrests.

It is therefore unclear how many individuals have been arrested, what charges they are facing or whether formal investigations and court proceedings have already been initiated against them.

The statement nonetheless suggests that security agencies have begun taking action against people suspected of wrongdoing within or around PACEID.

Muhoozi’s reference to a directive from President Museveni also indicates that the operation is being presented as part of a broader effort to deal with alleged criminality rather than as an isolated action by security agencies.

The development could attract considerable public interest because of Rwabwogo’s position within the organisation and his relationship with the President and the CDF.

Rwabwogo has served in an advisory capacity to the President on matters related to exports and industrial development, while PACEID has been presented as an important component of the government’s strategy to expand Uganda’s economic opportunities.

The allegations now raised by Muhoozi could therefore place the organisation under increased scrutiny as authorities investigate individuals accused of wrongdoing.

However, the CDF’s statement does not by itself establish that the people being targeted are guilty of crimes. Any suspects arrested will have to go through the appropriate investigative and judicial processes.

The announcement also raises questions about whether the arrests will lead to wider investigations into the organisation’s activities, finances and operations.

Authorities could face pressure to provide more information about the alleged offences, the identities of suspects and the evidence supporting the arrests.

For PACEID, the development comes at a sensitive moment as Uganda continues to push for greater export earnings and industrialisation. Any allegations of criminality within institutions responsible for such programmes could generate public concern.

The involvement of senior security leadership in the matter could also make the issue politically significant. Muhoozi’s statement suggests that the government intends to take a firm position against individuals it believes have abused their positions.

At the same time, the connection between PACEID and Rwabwogo makes the announcement especially noteworthy because of the family’s close relationship with President Museveni.

Whether Rwabwogo himself is implicated in any wrongdoing was not established by Muhoozi’s reported statement, and no such conclusion should be drawn merely from the announcement concerning arrests within the organisation.

The coming days could provide more clarity as investigators reveal the nature of the alleged crimes and whether those arrested will be formally charged in court.

For now, Gen Muhoozi’s declaration has put PACEID under fresh scrutiny, with his warning that authorities intend to pursue all individuals suspected of criminal conduct within the organisation setting the stage for potentially wider investigations.