“I Am A Trained Rebel, No One Can Attack Me Even Without My SFC Bodyguards” Museveni Reveals

A look back at events from August 2018 shows President Yoweri Museveni expressing frustration with sections of the media and elements within the security establishment, whom he accused of placing undue emphasis on the alleged stoning of his motorcade in Arua, rather than the broader context of election-related violence that left one person dead.

The incident occurred during a tense by-election campaign in Arua Municipality, where clashes were reported between rival political groups. Amid the unrest, the President’s official vehicle, a V8 Land Cruiser, was reportedly struck with stones.

Museveni and his team at the time alleged that the attack was carried out by supporters of eventual winner Kassiano Wadri, and linked the mobilization to opposition figures, including Robert Kyagulanyi.

However, in a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday following the violence, Museveni signaled that the focus on the damaged vehicle was misplaced, arguing that it distracted from what he described as more serious concerns about political conduct and public safety.

“The fake news generators and even some of the elements of the Security forces are concentrating on the stoning of the President’s car,” he said.

“Please, that is not the most serious problem here. The President has the capacity, either alone or in company with his personal security, to defend himself, not only against stone throwers but against any attacker.”

At the time, the President appeared keen to project resilience, downplaying the personal risk he faced and instead shifting attention toward what he viewed as the root causes of the violence. His remarks came amid heightened scrutiny of the role played by political actors during the chaotic campaign period.

In the same statement, Museveni drew on his personal history to underscore his ability to handle dangerous situations, citing several past encounters spanning decades.

“I have done that for the last 48 years. I defended myself against Amin’s soldiers on the 22nd of January, 1973, in Mbale, against the Kenyan policeman Patrick Shaw in Nairobi in 1978, against Tabuley near Atiriri in 2003 etc etc,” he said.

The President’s reference to these incidents echoed accounts detailed in his memoir, Sowing the Mustard Seed, where he narrates episodes from his life during periods of political turbulence.

In one such account from Mbale in 1973, Museveni recounts how he was cornered by soldiers loyal to Idi Amin at a colleague’s residence. According to his version of events, he managed to escape by taking the soldiers by surprise, leaping over a hedge and sprinting toward a eucalyptus forest, with both civilians and soldiers in pursuit under the impression he was a fleeing thief.

He also described a separate encounter in Nairobi in 1978 involving Patrick Shaw, a feared Kenyan police officer reportedly tasked with apprehending him over alleged political activities among Ugandan exiles. Museveni wrote that while seated at the Sheraton Hotel taking tea, the officer entered and sat nearby.

Even though he didn’t recognize him immediately, Museveni says he managed to notice Shaw’s shoddy look. Museveni writes he ordered another cup of tea and disguised as though he was stepping out briefly to attend to a matter, and vanished.

The 2018 Arua episode remains one of the most talked-about flashpoints in Uganda’s recent political history, marked by competing narratives over responsibility for the violence. Museveni’s remarks at the time highlighted his attempt to redirect the national conversation—from the symbolism of an attacked presidential convoy to what he described as deeper issues of political accountability and security discipline.