President Museveni’s son lieutenant Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Tuesday said that he had retired from the military, in a move widely seen as preparing the ground for a potential run for the head of statein 2026.
Critics of the President say his son who has been in the military for more than 20 years, was rushed through the ranks by his father the president. Majority of the Ugandans believe Kainerugaba is being groomed to succeed his father.
“After 28 years of service in my glorious military, the greatest military in the world, I am happy to announce my retirement,” Kainerugaba said on Twitter on Tuesday, without giving reasons for his retirement.
President Museveni,77, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has severally denied allegations he wanted to hand over the presidency to his son Kainerugaba, although his son’s supporters say he has a right to seek the country’s top seat like any other Ugandan citizen.
Kainerugaba, a prolific Twitter user who expressed his solidarity with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, this year helped mend Uganda’s strained relations with neighbours Rwanda after visiting Kigali and meeting President Kagame.
Aides of Kainerugaba, 47, have been pressing a campaign on social media and elsewhere for him to vie for presidency in 2026, although he has not publicly declared any intention to run for office. Ugandan law forbids soldiers from participating in politics.
Human rights groups, Ugandan opposition and government critics have long accused his father of using the military to keep himself in power through intimidating and jailing his opponents.
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