Uganda arrests former security minister charged with treason

Ugandan security agencies have arrested former Security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde and charged him with treason, police said Friday.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said in a statement that Tumukunde was arrested on Thursday night for calling on the support of a neighboring country to remove President Yoweri Museveni from power.

Tumukunde's arrest comes barely a week after he announced his intentions to challenge Museveni in the 2021 presidential polls.

"The arrest follows his utterances in a series of radio and television interviews, which seek to foster hatred that might lead to inter-community violence, fomenting and glorifying violence in general," said Enanga.

"He in addition, calls on the support of a neighboring country to support him in removing the current leadership with or without the ballot," Enanga said.

He said Tumukunde's arrest should act as a deterrent to others who would like to promote violence in the country.