President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, aged 79, has elevated his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, aged 48, to lead the military as part of a significant cabinet overhaul that saw five ministers dismissed.
Despite longstanding speculation that he is grooming his son as a potential successor, Mr. Museveni has consistently denied such claims.
Gen Kainerugaba’s promotion has raised eyebrows due to his controversial history, including breaches of military protocols by venturing into political activities.
In 2022, he was removed as commander of the army’s land forces after issuing threats on Twitter, known as X, to invade Kenya.
Although President Museveni publicly apologized for his son’s actions, the offending tweet remained, and Gen Kainerugaba was promoted to general and retained as an adviser to his father.
His new role as head of the country’s defence forces sees him replacing Gen Wilson Mbadi, who now heads the trade ministry.
Additionally, two of Gen Kainerugaba’s close advisers have been appointed as ministers in the reshuffle.
Gen Kainerugaba’s increasing involvement in political rallies and mobilization efforts across Uganda has sparked criticism in some circles.
These developments occur against the backdrop of Uganda’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for early 2026.
Source-BBC
