Jeje Odongo: Sejusa Absence A Threat To The Nation

Uganda’s State Minister for Defense, General Jeje odongo has said the absence of renegade General David Sejusa is a threat to the security of the nation.

According to Odongo, Sejusa poses a great threat because he was the number one consumer of intelligence reports while still coordinator of Intelligence.

Odongo has also asked the country’s parliament to request the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) to replace renegade General David Sejusa.

The Renegade General David Sejusa a.k.a Tinyefuza.

While appearing before the committee on Tuesday, Odongo noted that General Sejusa is not discharging the responsibility for, which the army sent him to perform in Parliament. He said that as a constituency, they are deprived of that service and therefore requested that the committee recommends to parliament to request UPDF to send another representative.

Abdu Katuntu, the Shadow Attorney General told the Minister that his request should not only work on General Sejusa but that it should also apply to other UPDF representatives in Parliament who have missed over 15 seatings.

Odongo noted that he was not aware of any other UPDF representative who had missed 15 sittings.

Fox Odoi, the chairperson of the Rules Committee rejected Katuntu’s proposal saying other army representatives were not currently under the committee’s investigation.

However, when asked by committee members whether his ministry or UPDF had earlier constituted an investigation into why General David Sejusa had gone missing, Odongo said they had not had such a meeting.

Odongo however, told the committee that he reported the general’s absence to President Museveni after getting confirmation from the Chief of Defense Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala. He refused to disclose what was contained in his communication to the President saying that it was not formal. He said that general Sejusa’s absence required him to notify UPDF and seek authority of Chief of Defense Forces before traveling out of the country.

He also told the committee that general Sejusa has not been replaced yet in his office as Coordinator of Intelligence Services and that he has not yet been declared a deserter in UPDF but that he is considered to be Absent without Leave.

Odongo revealed that certainly General Sejusa has a case to answer in case he appears since he has been declared absent without leave (AWOL).

The General was supposed to be declared a deserter by UPDF after 4 days but Minister Odongo noted that he has not been declared so since the committee that is supposed to do so has not yet convened.

Joseph Luzige, General Ssejusa’s lawyer who was in parliament noted that general Sejusa’s responsibility is in Parliament, where he requested Parliament leave, which was granted.

He however said Sejusa does not mind whether he loses or retains his seat in Parliament but that he is interested in a fair hearing in accordance with the law.