Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth-Oboth has declined to allow MPs to debate the detention of two retired senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) generals, insisting that military matters should not be discussed during parliamentary plenary proceedings.

The decision followed concerns raised by Chief Opposition Whip Paul Mwiru, who informed Parliament that retired Major General Abel Kandiho and retired Brigadier General Charles Bakahumura were reportedly being held incommunicado at an unauthorised location. Mwiru called for Parliament to intervene and establish the circumstances surrounding their detention.

While raising the matter, Mwiru invoked Article 23 of Uganda’s Constitution, which protects personal liberty and provides safeguards against unlawful arrest and detention. He questioned whether the two retired officers were being held in accordance with the law and whether their constitutional rights were being respected.

However, Speaker Oboth-Oboth maintained that Parliament was not the appropriate place to openly discuss military affairs. He explained that the UPDF operates under a separate legal framework, making it necessary to handle such matters differently from ordinary civilian cases.

Despite declining to allow a full debate, the Speaker acknowledged that the Minister of Defence could be invited to address concerns raised by the families of the detained officers. Meanwhile, Minister of Internal Affairs Ephraim Kamuntu promised to make a statement on the matter if the parliamentary programme on Wednesday, November 4, allowed him time.

Kandiho and Bakahumura are both former heads of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), which was later restructured into the Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS). They were among 19 generals retired at State House Entebbe on August 20, 2026, but were reportedly detained less than three weeks later in connection with investigations into alleged false intelligence reporting and other related offences.

The case has attracted further attention because of its connection to directives issued by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. On October 31, Muhoozi announced that Bakahumura had been released and expressed willingness to repair strained relationships. However, the public status of Kandiho remained unclear during Tuesday’s parliamentary proceedings.

The matter has now raised questions about the extent to which Parliament can scrutinise military-related detentions and how constitutional protections apply to retired military officers. Although Oboth-Oboth declined the proposed debate, MPs and the affected families are still seeking clarity about the circumstances surrounding the two generals’ detention.