PROFILE: Key Things About Maj Gen James Birungi, the Former Spymaster Arrested over Alleged Falsified Intelligence

Former UPDF intelligence chief Maj Gen James Birungi has been arrested and detained at the Makindye Military Barracks over alleged falsified intelligence and corruption. 

Maj James Birungi is expected to be arraigned before a military tribunal in coming days. Here are key things to know about Maj Gen James Birungi:

Born in Nakasekke’s Ngoma area in 1973, Maj Gen Birungi has been in the news in recent months for not so good reasons — at least not to him.

In April 2025, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba dropped Maj Gen James Birungi as the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS).

Maj Gen Birungi left the helm of UPDF security intelligence after three years and about three months since his appointment to head the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

In 2022, President Yoweri Museveni appointed Maj Gen Birungi to replace Maj Gen Abel Kandiho at CMI after the US government slapped sanctions against him (Kandiho) over human rights abuses related to the kidnapping and torturing of opposition supporters.

In that reshuffle, Museveni sent Maj Gen Kandiho to head the South Sudan Security Monitoring Mechanism, a role that was until then being played by Birungi.

Then, UPDF Establishment Document had not been launched, and the appointments were made by Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief (CiC) of armed forces.

It is now Gen Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), that has dropped Maj Gen Birungi.

Maj Gen Birungi had been the Special Forces Command (SFC) commander from 2019 to 2020. For that role, he also replaced Maj Gen Don Nabasa.

Before then, Birungi was Chief of Uganda People’s Defence Air Force (UPDAF) from 2016 to 2019 after replacing Col Emmanuel Kwihangana.

Birungi’s current rank of Major General (Maj Gen) was attained in February 2019.

Some of the military courses he has attended include: basic military training (Kasenyi-Entebbe), cadet course in India, Anti-Tank course in Masaka, motorised infantry commanders course, tank crew course, company commanders’ course and platoon commanders course, all in Karama, junior commanders’ course (Jinja) and senior command and staff course (Uganda Senior Command and Staff College – USCSC-Kimaka).

Birungi’s troubles did not stop with his removal as chief of UPDF intelligence.

While Gen Muhoozi had sent him to Fort Portal to serve as the new Mountain Infantry Division Commander, Maj Gen James Birungi would soon be removed and sent to Burundi after only two months. (See Details Here).

Now, he is in detention and will reportedly face a military tribunal which will seal his fate.

Other generals who have fallen out with the now powerful first son and CDF Gen Muhoozi have since retired from the army.

One of them is former deputy CDF Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, who now enjoys a huge retirement package as he pastors a church. (See Details Here, There and Over There).

Even Maj Gen Abel Kandiho — Maj Gen Birungi’s predecessor who was sanctioned by the West over human rights violations — is expected to retire soon, as reported Here.

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