Rédaction Africa Links 24 with BBC
Published on 2024-03-23 09:15:08
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is 79 years old, has recently made headlines by promoting his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is 49 years old, to head the military. This move comes as part of a major cabinet reshuffle that also saw five ministers being sacked from their positions. Despite being in power since 1986, President Museveni has repeatedly refuted claims that he is grooming his son to succeed him as the next leader of Uganda.
General Kainerugaba’s promotion has raised eyebrows due to his controversial past. He has been increasingly involved in politics, which goes against military protocols. In 2022, he was removed from his position as commander of the army’s land forces after making threatening comments on Twitter, including one aimed at invading neighboring Kenya. Although President Museveni issued an apology to Kenya’s leader for his son’s actions, the offending tweet was never removed, and General Kainerugaba was eventually promoted to the rank of general and retained as one of his father’s advisers.
His controversial behavior continued with another tweet announcing his intention to send troops to Moscow to assist President Vladimir Putin in defending Russia against Ukraine. Despite these actions, General Kainerugaba has now been appointed as the head of the country’s defense forces, replacing General Wilson Mbadi, who will now head the trade ministry. Additionally, two of General Kainerugaba’s close advisers have been named as ministers in the reshuffle.
The promotion of General Kainerugaba has not been well received by all, with opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda criticizing President Museveni for turning Uganda into a “personal enterprise of his family.” He urged Ugandans to resist the establishment of a “family dynasty” within the country’s leadership. In the aftermath of the 2021 elections, where allegations of torture and abductions were leveled against President Museveni, his son, and other officials, the president’s spokesperson denied these claims as false information spread by political rivals.
Despite the controversy surrounding him, General Kainerugaba has expressed his intention to run for president in the 2026 election, as revealed in a now-deleted social media post. He has been actively organizing rallies and mobilizing support across the country, a move that has garnered criticism from some quarters. General Kainerugaba joined the army in 1999 and has experienced a rapid ascent through the ranks, with his rise to power being dubbed the “Muhoozi Project” by local media.
In conclusion, the recent promotion of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba to head the military in Uganda has stirred up both support and concern among the populace. As he continues to establish himself as a key player in the country’s political landscape, only time will tell how his leadership will impact Uganda’s future.
Read the original article on The Namibian
