Residents at a Shell fuel station in Kyengera, Wakiso District, were left stunned on August 27th when a man dressed in a full UPDF ceremonial uniform was arrested by military police. The man, identified as Shaban Mugwanya, had for over a year passed himself off as a high-ranking army officer, even introducing himself as “Major Shaban”.
But according to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Mugwanya is not and has never been a member of the army.
In a statement released this week, the UPDF confirmed Mugwanya’s arrest and outlined a string of serious allegations against him — including impersonation, forgery, kidnapping, and illegal possession of military equipment.
At the time of his arrest, Mugwanya was found wearing a fake UPDF uniform complete with forged insignia indicating the rank of Major. He was also carrying a dummy pistol and a counterfeit military ID card, reportedly made for him by a tailor in downtown Kampala. The ID, which listed him as RO/012032 Maj Shaban Mugwanya, had been enough to convince many people of his supposed authority.
He is believed to have used the fake identity to carry out a range of illegal activities — from enforcing debt collections and arresting civilians to brokering land deals. In many of these cases, victims believed they were dealing with an actual UPDF officer acting on behalf of the state.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the investigation involves a kidnapping case in Luwero District. Mugwanya allegedly confessed to working with a group — including Mpanga Brennan Patrick, Kyamanya Peter, and a man referred to only as Capt Ivan — to kidnap an elderly man, Mzee Spelito Mubiru, in August 2025. The abduction is said to have been arranged by Nalwoga Sharon, who reportedly paid UGX 3 million to have the man detained. Mubiru was held for two days before being released.
Authorities say Mugwanya admitted to purchasing the entire fake military outfit Uniform: UGX 150,000 , Forged rank insignia: UGX 60,000 , Fake ID: UGX 40,000
All were made by a tailor at Cooper Complex in Kampala.
His activities are now believed to be part of a larger network involving impersonation and fraud. The UPDF has linked Mugwanya to a number of illegal land transactions and arrests, allegedly carried out with the help of PC Seremba Benard, D/Cpl Okirya Moses, and Maj (Rtd) Jimmy Katende.
“His actions were a deliberate attempt to misuse the image of the military and mislead the public,” said a UPDF spokesperson. “We want to make it clear that Shaban Mugwanya has never served in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.”
The army condemned the impersonation, warning that such acts erode public confidence and pose real threats to security.
Mugwanya is expected to face multiple charges, including unlawful possession of military property, forgery, and kidnapping. Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests could follow.
The UPDF has called on the public to be cautious when approached by anyone claiming to be a member of the armed forces, and to always verify their identity with the relevant security offices.
