Former security minister Lt. Gen Henry Tumukunde has confirmed that his security detail was withdrawn by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF). It emerged last week that his guards had been withdrawn from his home in Kololo, Kiruhura and Rukungiri. The UPDF has not yet given any official statement on why the guards were withdrawn.

Tumukunde announced his presidential bid a few days after the guards were withdrawn.

Appearing on a TV talk show on Thursday, he pointed out that while a General has no guards, someone’s (Museveni’s) grandchildren have 5 guards. He said that if anything happens to him, he knows who to blame.

Tumukunde said as a general he must have guards according to the law.

Tumukunde retired from the army in 2015 immediately after he was promoted to Lieutenant general. He has served as an intelligence boss of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and Internal Security Organisation as well as representing the army in parliament.

That he declared his presidential bid makes him the highest retired UPDF general to declare his aspiration to become President.

Analysts have linked the withdraw of his security detail to his presidential ambitions. Tumukunde will challenge his former boss Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and others.