Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni promotes son to army chief
Uganda’s veteran leader Yoweri Museveni has appointed his son to head the country’s defence forces, the East African nation’s government announced, capping a dizzying rise for Muhoozi Kainerugaba. (PETER BUSOMOKE / AFP)
- Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, has appointed his son, Muhoozi
Kainerugaba, to head the country’s defence forces. - Kainerugaba’s rise to the top job has been the subject of speculation
for many years. - Despite his controversial social media outbursts, Museveni has defended
his son as a “very good general.”
Uganda’s
veteran leader, Yoweri Museveni, has appointed his son to head the country’s
defence forces, the East African nation’s government said, capping a dizzying
rise for Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The
announcement by the defence ministry late Thursday followed years of
speculation that Kainerugaba, whose social media outbursts have sparked
diplomatic uproars, was being groomed for the top job.
Although
the 49-year-old general has in the past denied claims he intends to succeed his
father – one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders – he has enjoyed a rapid
climb through Uganda’s army ranks.
In
a now-deleted post on X last year, Kainerugaba said he intended to run for the
presidency in the 2026 elections.
He
also appeared to take a dig at his father, writing:
How many agree with me that our time has come? Enough of the old people ruling us. Dominating us. It’s time for our generation to shine. Retweet and like.
Following
a row in 2022 over a post by Kainerugaba threatening to invade Kenya, Museveni,
79, had sought to rein in his wayward son by telling him to stay off social
media when it comes to affairs of state.
Museveni,
who apologised to Kenya over the outburst, has nevertheless defended his only
son as a “very good general”.
READ | African democracy a ‘ship in troubled waters’, says AU Commission
To
many Ugandans, Kainerugaba’s position as heir apparent has been obvious, but
the government has in the past taken a harsh line against anyone discussing the
matter.
In
2013, police shut down two independent newspapers and two radio stations for 10
days after they published a leaked confidential memo by a senior general
alleging that Museveni was grooming Kainerugaba to succeed him.
