Why Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde was charged with unlawful possession of firearms

 Former Security Minister and presidential hopeful, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde was on Wednesday arraigned before the City Hall Magistrates Court and charged with two counts of unlawful possession of firearms and treason.

Days before he would drop the bombshell of standing for president in the forthcoming 2021 general elections, Tumukunde’s military guards were withdrawn under circumstances no one in the army was able to explain.

The guards were allegedly taken back to the Guard Brigade at the Land Forces headquarters in Bombo.

Following his arrest last week, security agencies raided his several homes and a number of items were recovered including among others military bags, uniforms, tents and mobile phones.

This has since attracted debate on social media, with a number of commentators laughing off at security saying that what was recovered at the retired soldier is what is expected to be found at every home of a senior officer.

When the Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga was asked to comment on the matter, he said the investigating team would soon request the army to furnish them with a list of items that the Lieutenant General was allowed to retire with.

“We shall find out as part of the retirement, which items he signed off with and compare with the exhibits got from his home,”Enanga said.

Reality check

Wednesday afternoon was a day of reality check as the former spymaster and former UPDF fourth division commander was charged with unlawful possession of two firearms; a pistol and an AK -47 rifle contrary to section 3(1) of the Firearms Act.

Prosecution alleges that on March, 13, 2020 at Impala Avenue in Kololo in Kampala, Tumukunde was found in possession of a modified AK-47 rifle number 19865- BU3618 without holding a valid firearm certificate.

Prosecution also alleges that on March 13, 2020, at Impala Avenue in Kololo, the former spymaster was found in possession of a Star pistol number EL 860030 without holding a valid firearm certificate.

The state on Wednesday told court investigations into the matter were complete and were ready to hear the matter before he was remanded to Luzira until March 30, 2020.

Lawyers’ say

Just like members of the public wondered how a retired senior military officer would be arraigned in court for unlawful possession of firearms, Tumukunde’s lawyers were left baffled by the charges.

“As defence lawyers, we are baffled by what we saw in court.  What did they expect to find with a general? Cassava tubers! Paw paw stems or guns,” Alex Luganda wondered.

He however said they will battle out the case in court.

Biography

Born in 1959 in Rukungiri district, Tumukunde attended Bishop Stuart College Demonstration School for his primary, before joining Kigezi College Butogere and Kibuli Secondary School for his O and A level education respectively.

He later graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Makerere University in 1981 but obtained a diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in 2010.

Tumukunde also holds an Executive Masters in Oil and Gas Management from the Graduate Institute of Geneva in 2013.

During his time at Makerere, Tumukunde was part of the group involved in anti-government politics and this subsequently saw him join National Resistance Army rebels led by Museveni.

When NRA rebels captured power, Tumukunde was promoted to the rank of major and appointed first secretary and military attaché at the Ugandan High Commission in the United Kingdom from where he was sent for a Command and Staff Course in Nigeria.

He later returned to Uganda to become the army’s director of planning and in 1994, he joined the Constituent Assembly.

Tumukunde was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed the Chief of Personnel and Administration and in 1998; he was promoted to the rank to Colonel and also appointed the chief of military intelligence and security.

He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier and taken to Gulu as the UPDF fourth division commander during the time of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels led by Joseph Kony.

He was later appointed the Internal Security Organisation(ISO) Director-General.

In 2015, Tumukunde was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and later retired from the active service of the army.