$200m Namibia-UPDF Radio Deal: Why Gen Muhoozi Ordered Col Ssemakula Arrest

Details have emerged about the circumstances under which the chief of Communications and IT (CCIT) in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Colonel Peter Ssemakula was arrested and detained by military authorities.

While social media reports indicated that Ssemakula was arrested for receiving a $300,000 bribe from a ‘South African Development Cooperation (SADC)’ country to spy on Uganda’s military communications, an investigation by ChimpReports had established that the army officer was jailed for corruption. 

It all started around 2023 when a Namibian company known as Satcom, approached Ugandan military authorities with a proposal to supply the Leopard 1 Wideband military Software Defined Radios (SDR) to UPDF. 

The Namibian company was represented in Uganda by a commission agent called Ambrose Mutafungwa.

The Leopard 1 is a compact, rugged, and lightweight wideband military radio which Satcom says offers uncompromised communication for tactical missions in the High Frequency, Very High Frequency, and Ultra High Frequency bands. 

The Leopard 1 radio is also configurable for portable, mobile, base, and repeater station applications. 

The then Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbadi Mbadi and Col Ssemakula traveled to Namibia where Satcom demonstrated the capacity of the radios. 

Sources told ChimpReports on Tuesday morning that UPDF’s contracts committee eventually chaired by Gen Mbadi cleared the deal worth about $200m. 

However, it is understood that UPDF had earlier used similar radios only to realise that they would heat up and were not convenient for the jungle environment. 

Nevertheless, Mbadi persuaded president Museveni to endorse the deal, leading to the signing of the contract with Satcom to supply the radios. 

‘Bribe’

According to a military investigation, Mutafungwa, who was in a celebratory mood after securing the deal, reportedly facilitated Col Ssemakula to receive a $300,000 (Shs 1bn) ‘bribe’ from SatCom. 

As the head of the user department (communications), Col Ssemakula had prepared the required paperwork to justify the procurement of the radios. 

To avoid being caught, Col Ssemakula reportedly asked a friendly witchdoctor to keep the $300,000 he received from Satcom.

Muhoozi appointment 

However, shortly before Satcom started supplying radios to UPDF, President Museveni appointed Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the new CDF, effectively replacing Mbadi. 

Hell broke loose. Muhoozi had been tipped about the alleged corruption in the procurement of the military radios. 

“Muhoozi issued what we would now call an ‘executive order’ cancelling the procurement of the radios from Satcom,’” said a military source briefed about this development. 

Defence spokesperson Brig Felix Kulayigye was not readily available for comment. 

It remains unclear if some other military chiefs benefitted from the radio deal.

Sources claim Mutafungwa had received about $1m from Satcom as part of his commission. With Muhoozi cancelling the radio deal, Mutafungwa came under pressure from satcom. 

Spilling the beans

Troubled by the loss of the business and pressure to return the commission to Satcom, Mutafungwa secured an appointment with Muhoozi and disclosed details of the bribe to Col Ssemakula.

“If we can’t get this deal, at least let Col Ssemakula return the money,” said Mutafungwa.

“Which money?” Muhoozi asked Mutafungwa.

“We gave Ssemakula $300,000,” said Mutafungwa to the astonishment of Muhoozi, who ordered the army officer’s immediate arrest. 

Col Ssemakula confessed to receiving the bribe and led military investigators to a witchdoctor who had kept it.

Interestingly, the witchdoctor had already spent a staggering $80,000. The army was only able to recover $220,000. 

Col Ssemakula has been held at Makindye military barracks for over six months without appearing before court for his alleged crimes.

Officials say corruption at the Ministry of Defence is “institutionalised” and will take Muhoozi ages to fully clean up the mess. 

“There is a popular phrase of ‘10 percent per deal. It’s the language people understand here.”