Museveni promotes son Muhoozi amid controversial Nairobi tweets
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- President Yoweri Museveni has promoted his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, from the rank of Lieutenant General to a full general, coming amid recent controversial tweets about capturing Kenya. General is the highest rank in the hierarchy of Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
President Yoweri Museveni has promoted his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, from the rank of Lieutenant General to a full general, coming amid recent controversial tweets about capturing Kenya. General is the highest rank in the hierarchy of Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
Uganda's heir apparent was, however, dropped as the Commander of Land forces. Museveni then appointed Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga to replace his son.
Muhoozi had on Tuesday morning hinted at looming changes in the Ugandan army following his controversial tweets about Kenya. He said he had a discussion with his father and that the new changes would be made public soon.
This comes hours after a Twitter account associated with him posted chilling tweets that turned into an embarrassing diplomatic tiff. In the tweet, which has since been deleted, he warned that he would only need two weeks with his army to capture Nairobi.
He started off by blaming former President Uhuru Kenyatta for not contesting for a third term in the August 2022 polls adding that the retired President could have easily won the election.
With Mr Kenyatta being barred by the Kenyan Constitution from contesting for a third term, Muhoozi suggested that he should have followed his father’s footsteps by changing the Constitution to remain in power.
President Museveni, 78, has twice benefitted from a change of the Constitution to rule Uganda for close to four decades having moved to remove the term and age limits from the Constitution.
Muhoozi, who is a commander in the Ugandan military, went on to brag that his tweet on toppling President William Ruto’s government had gained the much needed traction saying, “I’m happy that members of our district in Kenya, have responded enthusiastically to my tweet. It’s still 2 weeks to Nairobi! After our army captures Nairobi, where should I live? Westlands? Riverside?”
The tweets had since attracted varying opinions from Ugandan and Kenyan leaders with Muhoozi eating a humble pie saying it was all a joke.
“I'm glad that I have scared you Kenyans a bit! Two weeks is long. Nairobi in one week for sure! Aided by my brothers from Carnival!”
He then went on to assure Kenyans that he would never wedge a war on the Kenyan army.
