Former Special Forces Command commander Maj Gen Don William Nabasa has officially regained his freedom after Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, announced that all charges against him had been withdrawn following a high-level meeting between the two senior military officers.
Gen Muhoozi revealed the development on Thursday through a public statement posted on X, saying the decision came after extensive discussions with Nabasa. The army chief praised the veteran officer for his contribution to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces since joining the military in 1998 and wished him well as the matter came to a close.
Nabasa’s arrest in March had sent shockwaves through military and political circles across Uganda. He was detained together with Brig Gen Johnson Namanya Abaho during a sweeping internal crackdown reportedly targeting corruption, abuse of office, and misconduct within sections of the UPDF leadership.
The operation was reportedly initiated under direct orders from Gen Muhoozi and executed through the office of the Chief Inspector of the Armed Forces. Both officers were held at the Special Forces Command detention facility in Kasenyi along Entebbe Road as investigations intensified behind closed doors.
At the time of his detention, Maj Gen Nabasa was serving as the UPDF’s Joint Staff for Policy and Strategy, one of the military’s most influential planning positions. His military career has seen him occupy several powerful command roles, earning him a reputation as one of Uganda’s most experienced senior officers.
Nabasa is best remembered for leading the elite Special Forces Command after replacing Gen Muhoozi in 2017. He later handed over the unit’s leadership to Maj Gen James Birungi. Beyond the SFC, he also commanded the UPDF Military Police and previously led Ugandan peacekeeping troops serving under the African Union mission in Somalia.
His release follows a similar development involving Brig Gen Johnson Namanya, who was also freed recently after what military officials described as a friendly reconciliation meeting with the Chief of Defence Forces. The UPDF stated that all accusations against Namanya had likewise been cleared.
Despite the dramatic arrests and months of speculation, the UPDF has never publicly disclosed the exact accusations levelled against the two generals. Their detention, however, fueled widespread debate about a possible anti-corruption purge and a broader restructuring campaign inside the military under Gen Muhoozi’s leadership since his appointment as CDF in March 2024.
