Former Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS), Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, has threatened legal action against The Independent magazine over what he describes as defamatory claims published in a two-part investigative series linking him to an alleged fraudster.
In a notice of intention to sue dated July 31, 2026, Kandiho’s lawyers, TSM Advocates & Solicitors, accuse the publication of publishing false and defamatory statements in two articles titled State House and Security Agencies Under Siege and The President’s Man, published on July 21 and July 28, respectively.
The law firm says the articles profiled Stephen Nuwagaba as a fraudster who fabricated military and intelligence credentials to extort and blackmail senior public officials before allegedly linking Kandiho to the suspect by claiming he introduced him to President Yoweri Museveni.
According to the notice, the publication alleged that Kandiho “took him to the President” after being convinced by Nuwagaba’s claims about his technical and intelligence capabilities. However, Kandiho’s lawyers contend that the publication falsely implied that their client abused his office and proximity to the President to facilitate access to State House and knowingly conspired with an alleged fraudster to compromise state security systems.
“Their ordinary meaning falsely implied that our client is a compromised security official who abused his high office and proximity to power to mislead the President of the Republic of Uganda,” the lawyers state in the notice. The lawyers further accuse The Independent of publishing the allegations maliciously without seeking Kandiho’s response or verifying the facts before publication.
They argue that the reports have caused severe and irreversible damage to Kandiho’s military, diplomatic and public service reputation, exposing him to public ridicule, suspicion and contempt. Kandiho is demanding that The Independent comply with several conditions within seven days of receiving the notice.
These include deleting both articles from its website, digital archives and social media platforms, publishing an unconditional retraction and apology with prominence equal to the original stories, and paying Shs1 billion in compensatory damages, in addition to Shs50 million in legal costs already incurred.
The lawyers warn that failure to comply will result in legal proceedings seeking aggravated and punitive damages without further notice. The Independent had not publicly responded to the notice at the time of publication.