Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Duties Phiona Barungi has raised serious allegations against Brig Gen Moses Lukyamuzi, claiming that her brother was forcefully arrested and held for four days during a land dispute before he was released following intervention by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.Barungi made the claims while attending a recent locus visit connected to a land wrangle, where she spoke about her family’s experience and questioned the actions taken by the Presidential Special Task Force on Land Matters and Environment, led by Lukyamuzi.
According to Barungi, her brother was not directly involved in the disputed land matter but had only gone to visit a relative when he was allegedly picked up by security personnel linked to Lukyamuzi’s office. She said the incident left the family unaware of his whereabouts for several days.“My own brother was recently manhandled by Gen Lukyamuzi. He was visiting a cousin who was involved in a land dispute. My brother was only a visitor. He was taken away and we did not know where he was for four days,” Barungi said.The presidential advisor explained that she was recovering from surgery at the time and faced difficulties trying to secure her brother’s release. She said attempts to intervene were unsuccessful as officials handling the matter insisted that he should remain in custody.
Barungi said the family eventually sought help from Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, whose intervention she credited for ending the detention. She revealed that relatives had repeatedly waited outside Lukyamuzi’s office in hopes of getting assistance.“We would wake up every morning and sit at the gate of his office so that he could see us when entering.
That is how we managed to secure his release,” she said.Brig Gen Lukyamuzi’s Presidential Special Task Force on Land Matters and Environment has previously attracted public attention over its involvement in land disputes, with critics accusing the unit of using excessive force during some operations. The allegations have sparked debate over the conduct and powers of the task force.The claims also come amid past disagreements between Lukyamuzi and former State Minister for Lands Dr Sam Mayanja, who have at times taken different positions on disputed land cases, with conflicting actions reported between administrative decisions and security enforcement.
