Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has urged his colleague, Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, to raise concerns about the continued detention of opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye through the proper government channels — not in the public domain.
Speaking to reporters this week, Kiwanuka said he was taken aback by Otafiire’s recent public statements, in which the minister questioned the rationale behind Besigye’s prolonged detention.
“Those were very strange statements,” Kiwanuka said. “Otafiire is senior to me, and as my senior, he knows how the government works better than I do.”
Kiwanuka emphasised that if Otafiire — or any Cabinet member — has concerns about such sensitive legal or political matters, the right place to bring them up is within Cabinet discussions, not in the media.
“The Cabinet exists for exactly this reason — to allow ministers to express views, raise concerns, and reach consensus as a team. That’s where this conversation should be,” he added.
Otafiire had recently spoken out against what he described as the “unnecessary” and “repetitive” arrests of Dr. Besigye, a veteran opposition leader and former presidential candidate. He suggested that such actions damage the image of the government and raise questions about political freedoms.
While Kiwanuka did not directly defend the state’s actions against Besigye, he stood firm on the principle of Cabinet solidarity — stressing that internal unity is key to effective governance.
“If we start debating government matters in the press rather than in the Cabinet room, we risk sending mixed signals to the public,” he warned.
The exchange between the two senior officials has stirred conversation in political circles, especially as concerns grow — both at home and abroad — over how government critics like Besigye are treated by state institutions.
For now, Kiwanuka’s message is clear: internal disagreements should be settled in-house, not aired in public. But with tensions simmering and public interest high, it remains to be seen whether all Cabinet members will stay on the same page.
