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Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced the dissolution of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), amid an escalating dispute involving its chairperson, businessman Odrek Rwabwogo.
Gen Muhoozi also issued strong remarks against Rwabwogo, saying he does not recognise him as his brother-in-law despite Rwabwogo being married to Patience Museveni Rwabwogo, a daughter of President Yoweri Museveni.
In a series of posts on X on August 28, 2026, Gen Muhoozi accused Rwabwogo of criminal conduct and threatened to have him arrested.
“As Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I will arrest the criminal Odrek soon and bring peace to our people,” Gen Muhoozi wrote.
The CDF further warned Rwabwogo against believing that his marriage to Patience Museveni Rwabwogo would protect him from possible action.
“If Odrek thinks hiding behind my sister will save him, he is joking!” Gen Muhoozi stated in another post.
Gen Muhoozi also claimed that his parents had forced him to accept Rwabwogo as a brother-in-law. He said the only person he recognised in that capacity was Edwin Karugire, who is married to Natasha Museveni Karugire.
“This is my last warning to that fool Odrek. From now on it will be actions,” Gen Muhoozi added, escalating the public dispute between the two men.
Rwabwogo had not publicly responded to the threats by the time of publication, leaving the accusations and counterclaims at the centre of an increasingly heated public debate.
The dispute is closely connected to Gen Muhoozi’s announcement that PACEID had been dissolved and that its functions would immediately be taken over by Operation Wealth Creation.
He said the programme would also take over PACEID’s responsibilities and budget, although the reported decision had not been publicly confirmed by State House or the Office of the President at the time.
PACEID was established to advise and support efforts aimed at increasing Uganda’s exports, promoting industrial development and improving the country’s position in international markets.
Rwabwogo has defended the organisation and challenged the claim that it can simply be dissolved without a decision from President Museveni.
According to Rwabwogo, President Museveni created PACEID on March 16, 2022, before placing it under the Office of the President on May 25, 2022.
He has argued that because the President established the committee, only the President has the authority to terminate its mandate.
The latest confrontation comes after Gen Muhoozi accused PACEID of operating illegally and allegedly misusing public resources. PACEID has rejected the allegations.
At a press conference on August 27, Patriotic League of Uganda executive secretary David Kabanda also questioned the organisation’s legal status, accountability mechanisms, staffing structure and sources of funding.
Kabanda called on the government to suspend dealings with PACEID until its legal foundation and financial arrangements were clarified.
He also raised questions about an alleged payment of $14 million reportedly linked to Rwabwogo, claiming it involved helicopters, spare parts and other supplies delivered to South Sudan.
However, the Finance Ministry had not confirmed that it was processing the alleged payment, and the claims surrounding Uganda’s reported financial liability had not been independently verified.
The dispute has now placed PACEID, Rwabwogo and the relationship between members of the first family under intense public scrutiny. It has also sparked debate about the authority of presidential advisory bodies and how such organisations should be established, funded and dissolved.
As Gen Muhoozi insists that PACEID has been dissolved and warns that alleged wrongdoing will be punished, Rwabwogo maintains that the organisation remains protected by the mandate given to it by President Museveni.
The unfolding confrontation could therefore depend on whether the President confirms the dissolution and what steps are taken regarding the allegations against PACEID and its chairperson. For now, the public dispute continues, with both the future of PACEID and the political implications of the confrontation attracting widespread attention.
