KAMPALA: Uganda’s veteran chief Yoweri Museveni has appointed his son to move the nation’s defence forces, the East African nation’s authorities stated, capping a dizzying rise for Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The announcement by the defence ministry late Thursday adopted years of hypothesis that Kainerugaba, whose social media outbursts have sparked diplomatic uproars, was being groomed for the highest job.
Though the 49-year-old normal has up to now denied claims he intends to succeed his father — one in every of Africa’s longest-serving leaders — he has loved a speedy climb by Uganda’s military ranks.
In a now-deleted submit on X final 12 months, Kainerugaba stated he supposed to run for the presidency within the 2026 elections.
He additionally appeared to take a dig at his father, writing: “What number of agree with me that our time has come? Sufficient of the outdated individuals ruling us. Dominating us. It is time for our technology to shine. Retweet and like”.
Following a row in 2022 over a submit by Kainerugaba threatening to invade Kenya, Museveni, 79, sought to rein in his wayward son by telling him to remain off social media in relation to political affairs.
Museveni, who apologised to Kenya over the outburst, has however defended his solely son as a “excellent normal” and promoted him to that rank simply days after the row erupted.
‘Child despot’
As a high-ranking army official, Kainerugaba is barred from talking publicly about political issues, however has incessantly waded into such discussions, inflicting diplomatic complications for Uganda.
His tweets in assist of Tigrayan rebels in Ethiopia angered Addis Ababa, whereas his ideas on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the 2021 coup in Guinea additionally raised eyebrows.
Final 12 months, he declared that Uganda would “ship troopers to defend Moscow if it is ever threatened by the Imperialists”, chiding Western nations for sharing “ineffective pro-Ukraine propaganda”.
To many Ugandans, Kainerugaba’s place as inheritor obvious has been apparent, however the authorities has up to now taken a harsh line towards anybody discussing the matter.
In 2013, police shut two unbiased newspapers and two radio stations for 10 days after they printed a leaked confidential memo by a senior normal alleging that Museveni was grooming Kainerugaba to succeed him.
Lots of Museveni’s former allies, together with his private physician Kizza Besigye, have fallen out of favour with the president over Kainerugaba’s elevation, which has additionally aroused the ire of opposition politicians and authorities critics.
Outstanding creator Kakwenza Rukirabashaija fled to Germany in 2022, alleging that he was tortured in custody on costs of insulting Museveni and Kainerugaba, who he has described as “overweight”, a “curmudgeon” and a “child despot”.
The announcement by the defence ministry late Thursday adopted years of hypothesis that Kainerugaba, whose social media outbursts have sparked diplomatic uproars, was being groomed for the highest job.
Though the 49-year-old normal has up to now denied claims he intends to succeed his father — one in every of Africa’s longest-serving leaders — he has loved a speedy climb by Uganda’s military ranks.
In a now-deleted submit on X final 12 months, Kainerugaba stated he supposed to run for the presidency within the 2026 elections.
He additionally appeared to take a dig at his father, writing: “What number of agree with me that our time has come? Sufficient of the outdated individuals ruling us. Dominating us. It is time for our technology to shine. Retweet and like”.
Following a row in 2022 over a submit by Kainerugaba threatening to invade Kenya, Museveni, 79, sought to rein in his wayward son by telling him to remain off social media in relation to political affairs.
Museveni, who apologised to Kenya over the outburst, has however defended his solely son as a “excellent normal” and promoted him to that rank simply days after the row erupted.
‘Child despot’
As a high-ranking army official, Kainerugaba is barred from talking publicly about political issues, however has incessantly waded into such discussions, inflicting diplomatic complications for Uganda.
His tweets in assist of Tigrayan rebels in Ethiopia angered Addis Ababa, whereas his ideas on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the 2021 coup in Guinea additionally raised eyebrows.
Final 12 months, he declared that Uganda would “ship troopers to defend Moscow if it is ever threatened by the Imperialists”, chiding Western nations for sharing “ineffective pro-Ukraine propaganda”.
To many Ugandans, Kainerugaba’s place as inheritor obvious has been apparent, however the authorities has up to now taken a harsh line towards anybody discussing the matter.
In 2013, police shut two unbiased newspapers and two radio stations for 10 days after they printed a leaked confidential memo by a senior normal alleging that Museveni was grooming Kainerugaba to succeed him.
Lots of Museveni’s former allies, together with his private physician Kizza Besigye, have fallen out of favour with the president over Kainerugaba’s elevation, which has additionally aroused the ire of opposition politicians and authorities critics.
Outstanding creator Kakwenza Rukirabashaija fled to Germany in 2022, alleging that he was tortured in custody on costs of insulting Museveni and Kainerugaba, who he has described as “overweight”, a “curmudgeon” and a “child despot”.
