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Major General Felix Kulayigye, the often embattled spokesperson for the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), recently offered a rare glimpse into the complexities and personal toll of his high-profile role.
In a televised interview, Kulayigye, who has served in the army since 1989, and twice as its mouthpiece, likened his demanding position to being "a woman married to five men."
The 61-year-old has found himself navigating a tempest of public criticism, often labelled a liar for his representations of military operations, particularly those involving political opposition elements.
The Multi-Headed Beast
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Using the analogy of five husbands, he painted a picture of the various masters he must serve, often without the luxury of direct consultation.
"The first husband is the Commander-in-Chief," he explained, referring to President Yoweri Museveni.
This relationship, he said, is one of unspoken expectations, where the spokesperson must intuitively discern what will align with the leader's vision.
"He watches everything you say, but you cannot call him to ask what you should say. You have no chance of consulting with him, but God has to reveal to you what to say, which the Commander in Chief will be pleased with."
The "second husband," Kulayigye said, represents his immediate superiors: the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of Defence Forces.
Here, too, the direct line for daily guidance remains elusive. "I cannot consult them time to time about what I should say to the public," he noted.
This, he said, necessitates a deep understanding of institutional directives and an ability to interpret the broader strategic objectives of the military command, even when granular instructions are absent.
The Weight of Public Scrutiny
Perhaps the most formidable "husband" according to him is society itself – the journalists, the public, and the critics.
Kulayigye articulated the constant self-questioning that plagues his public appearances.
"I am always wondering, if I say this, will the people want to look at my face tomorrow? Do you know what it means to come on TV and everyone is reaching for a remote to change the channel?"
Kulayigye has to carry the burden of explaining or defending the UPDF’s questionable operations, particularly those involving torture and other human rights abuses.
One of his toughest days on the job, he said, was when Ugandan military helicopters crashed in Kenya.
This was the devastating August 2012 incident where three UPDF Mi-24 attack helicopters, en route to Somalia, crashed in Mount Kenya due to severe weather.
"There is nothing worse than coming to speak to the nation when you carry nothing but bad news," he reflected
The Personal Toll
Beyond the professional pressures, Kulayigye revealed the profound impact his role has on his private life, symbolised by the "fourth husband" – his family.
The public scrutiny and controversies he faces inevitably spill over into his home.
"You can say something, and your children at school fail to study in class," he said.
"Every time I leave home, I pray to God to give me what to say, to use me as a vessel."
The "fifth husband,” arguably the most intimate and challenging, Kulayigye said, was his own conscience, where the constant battle for integrity plays out.
"It is a constant battle of asking yourself, Am I telling the truth? If not, is it worth it? And what about the consequences?"
Navigating a Flawed Institution
Kulayigye also touched upon the inherent difficulty of representing any large human organisation.
"The other challenge I face is that I speak for an institution which is made up of people, not angels."
He acknowledged the diverse backgrounds, opinions, and even "elements that are in there primarily to damage the institution."
His unenviable task, he explained, is to "come and sanitise everything."
He sees himself as "a PR," whose "job is akin to a lawyer representing the institution in the court of public opinion."
This role, he said, requires not just communication skills but a deep understanding of human nature and the ability to articulate the institutional perspective even when internal imperfections are present.