KAMPALA, UGANDA — Former spokesperson for the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Charles Twiine, has been formally charged with a series of serious offences, including inciting violence, promoting hate speech, spreading malicious information, and conspiracy to commit a felony. The charges stem from an alleged plot to assassinate President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who currently serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
Twiine appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court in Kampala on Thursday, alongside Noah Mutwe, a well-known bodyguard of Robert Kyagulanyi, the president of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), popularly known as Bobi Wine. Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi presided over the session.
Mutwe, who has reportedly been in detention for two weeks, is accused of conspiring with Twiine to use violence — specifically, the use of concrete pavers — to kill the president and Gen Muhoozi. According to the prosecution, the alleged plot was rooted in opposition to Museveni’s political views and longstanding presidency.
The state alleges that Twiine used social media platforms to incite Mutwe into carrying out the attacks. Prosecutors also accuse the pair of violating the Computer Misuse Act by sharing electronic content designed to stir tribal hatred and tarnish the reputations of senior government officials.
Among the statements cited in the prosecution’s evidence, Twiine is alleged to have used derogatory language to insult top political figures. He reportedly referred to Speaker of Parliament Anita Among as a “rotten human being” and accused her of sponsoring killings in her home district of Bukedea. He is also said to have described Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa as a “money launderer, masquerader, and fraudster.”
More inflammatory were alleged comments about military officials and ethnic groups. Twiine reportedly called Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba a “fat pig and crook,” and labelled Gen James Birungi a “killer and crook.” He is also accused of making tribal slurs against the Bahima ethnic group, calling them “killers,” in a statement the prosecution says was clearly intended to incite ethnic hatred.
Both Twiine and Mutwe pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court ordered their remand to Luzira Prison until June 5, when they are expected to reappear for further proceedings.
The case has triggered shockwaves across Uganda’s security and political landscape, not only due to the gravity of the accusations but also because of Twiine’s history as a prominent voice of law enforcement. As CID spokesperson, Twiine was known for publicly defending controversial police operations, including alleged abductions and torture of government critics.
The proceedings mark a dramatic fall from grace for a former high-ranking police official now accused of plotting against the very leadership he once served.
The government has not issued an official statement, but political observers suggest the case could further strain relations between the state and opposition movements, especially as the country edges closer to the 2026 general elections.
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