By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and son of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba recently announced that he was quitting X the social media channel he has been using to post controversial messages. General Muhoozi 50-year-old army chief is renowned for his involvement in the political arena, in breach of military protocols, reigniting debates about his ambitions to succeed his father, who has ruled Uganda for 39 years.
In his recent string of controversial posts, he threatened to cut off the head of the leader of Uganda’s main opposition party the National Unity Platform Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine and invade neighbouring countries including Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Explanations for quitting
According to General Muhoozi’s farewell message to his X followers, he said his decision to leave the platform was guided by his faith and a renewed focus on his military duties as a general in the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF). He urged his followers to continue supporting his father, whom he referred to as “the greatest general of the resistance”. “It has been a great whirlwind and focusing journey together on these streets for the last 10 years since 2014. However, the time has now come to understand the instructions and blessings of my Lord Jesus Christ to leave and concentrate on His army, the UPDF. I know you all love me, and that you will continue to follow me like the wind long after here. At an appropriate time in the future when it becomes important, and after fulfilling the Almighty God’s immediate assignment to restore everlasting peace and security to all His people in our region, we shall always re-converge. I LOVE you all so much,” General Muhoozi wrote in his farewell message.
General Muhoozi is seen as a possible successor to his long-serving father but President Museveni has denied that he is grooming him for the presidency. In April 2022, Muhoozi the then commander of the country’s land forces signalled his desire to go public about his presidential ambitions when he auspiciously turned his 48th birthday celebrations into a national event. In September 2024, Ugandans were taken by surprise when Gen Muhoozi revealed that he had withdrawn his 2026 presidential bid but instead endorsed his 80-year father for 7th term. According to his withdrawal statement that he posted on X account, he explained that he wanted to concentrate on his current post as a CDF but instead, he endorsed his father who has been in power since 1986. For Muhoozi to endorse his father was an unconstitutional move. The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda provides that UPDF shall be non-partisan.
Mixed reactions
Mr Sseguya Moses a political analyst in an interview with Africa-Report while reacting to General Muhoozi’s X farewell said that was the right thing to do for him, our country, and his Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) movement. He added that Muhoozi’s controversial posts were going to put Uganda in trouble one of these days. However, Jamie Namubiru a journalist said that some people including her liked Muhoozi’s posts Especially those who came after 10pm. Previously the government spokesperson Mr Ofwono Opondo said Muhoozi’s social media posts should be understood as “casual” comments and not taken seriously or as reflecting government policy.
Is the farewell teal
This is not the first time General Muhoozi has deactivated his X account. In 2022, he quit the micro-blogging platform only to return days later. Critics have taken a swipe at the general over the statements he has made on social media, which touched on subjects considered taboo for a serving soldier. In 2022, he made headlines for discussing an invasion of neighbouring Kenya, a comment that forced his father to step in and apologise. The general’s tweets have repeatedly drawn criticism for breaching military protocol, sparking political debates, and causing diplomatic unease. Most recently, he faced backlash for threatening opposition leader Bobi Wine. In a tweet, he warned he would behead Bobi Wine a remark that prompted widespread condemnation. Although Muhoozi later apologised, describing the comment as a joke, Wine dismissed the apology, saying he could not take the threat lightly
General Muhoozi is renowned for his controversial social media posts that at times jeopardize Uganda’s diplomacy with other countries. For example, he sided with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, when the rebel group was fighting the Ethiopian government. Uganda called for dialogue, officially. In another tweet he said he could “capture” Nairobi easily were he to decide so. The situation was put into order when President Museveni apologized to neighbouring Kenya. In August 2024, Gen Muhoozi demanded the United States compensation for the Ugandan military who lost their lives in the US war on terror in Somalia. In one of his series posts on the X platform explained that the USD 100 billion is the minimum he demands from the USA. And they will pay every penny. His posts supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and taking sides in the Ethiopian civil war also strained Uganda’s diplomatic ties. Despite these incidents, Museveni has defended his son, calling him a “very good general,” while the army maintained that Muhoozi was entitled to freedom of expression under the constitution.
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