Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has reignited political debate after declaring that he will become the next president of Uganda following his father President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
“In the name of Jesus Christ my God, I shall be President of this country after my father!” Muhoozi posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
This is not the first time the First Son and military chief has voiced his political intentions. In a series of past tweets, Muhoozi has repeatedly hinted at his desire to lead Uganda.
“I will be President of Uganda after my father. Those fighting the truth will be very disappointed!!!” he tweeted in 2022.
And on another occasion, “Fortune favours the sons of God! I will be President of Uganda one day.” At one point, he even engaged his followers directly, saying, “Let those who want me to be president after my father retweet and like. If you convince me, I will do it.”
His controversial statements have fueled speculation that Muhoozi is preparing to succeed his father who has ruled Uganda since 1986. Although Museveni has not publicly anointed a successor, Muhoozi’s steady rise in both military and political circles and his growing online presence have cemented him as a central figure in this position.
In the military sector, Muhoozi is a man of his word as he has severally warned individuals or groups with corrupt motives to reform or leave the UPDF.
“Any individual or group with selfish interests such as corruption, misappropriation of resources, or mismanagement of whatever kind should reform immediately, or better still leave our cherished UPDF before they are found,” General Kainerugaba once warned.
In a related move, the Ugandan military accused European Union diplomats of subversive activity, a shift that many interpreted as a coordinated defense of Muhoozi’s increasingly confrontational political style.
Whether Muhoozi formally launches a presidential campaign remains to be seen, but what is clear is that his message is calculated, consistent and increasingly hard to ignore.
