KAMPALA
Uganda’s military chief and President Yoweri Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has once again plunged the country into an international controversy, publicly threatening the United States and raising questions about his role in national security.
In dramatic social media outbursts on X, Muhoozi, who also serves as Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, accused the US Embassy in Kampala of “demeaning and degrading” Uganda and alleged that it was aiding opposition leader Bobi Wine to evade authorities.
“My name is not ‘Commander @mkainerugaba’. My name is General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. What ‘Red line’ have I crossed according to you? You will never make us your slaves,” Muhoozi declared.
Recently, Muhoozi tweets announcing suspension of all military cooperation with the US, including operations in Somalia made rounds on the Internet.
“We as UPDF suspend all cooperation with the US embassy administration in Kampala, this includes our works in Somalia” Muhoozi tweet read in parts
The tweets were later deleted, and Muhoozi issued an apology, claiming he had been “fed with wrong information” and had since clarified the matter with the US ambassador.
“[…] everything is okay. We are going to continue our military cooperation as usual.” he said.
But Washington did not accept the apology lightly. The US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee condemned Muhoozi’s actions, saying he had crossed a red line.
“The president’s son and likely successor cannot simply delete tweets and issue hollow apologies. The U.S. will not tolerate this level of instability and recklessness when American personnel, U.S. interests, and innocent lives in the region are at stake,” the Senate statement read.
Analysts warn that Muhoozi’s behavior exposes Uganda to international isolation and risks undermining critical security partnerships.
“This is not a minor diplomatic spat,” said a UPDF official and Kampala-based security expert, who preferred anonymity. “The First Son is behaving recklessly, mixing personal ambition with state responsibilities. Uganda’s security and international credibility are on the line.”
The country’s minister of Information, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi over the weekend said Muhoozi’s tweets make his works to speak for the government and defend its public image both locally and internationally. Baryomunsi revealed to have addressed the president about these developments, but urged citizens to ignore the tweets, arguing that they don’t represent the position of the government.
“For the record, the CDF does not speak for government. His tweets often short and sometimes deleted are not official positions but casual comments. I’ve raised this with the appointing authority, including the President. They do make my work harder,” Baryomunsi revealed during a radio talk show in Kampala.
For months, Muhoozi has positioned himself as a central figure in Uganda’s military and political hierarchy. Critics say his public threats against a key international partner underscore his growing, unchecked influence, and raise fears that Uganda’s foreign relations could be hijacked by personal vendettas.
