President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has reportedly said he will resign his job as Commander Land Forces (CLF) over disagreements with the Ministry of Defence.
Reports claim that Lt Gen Kainerugaba, who has spent only a few months in office as CLF, is frustrated by the Defence Ministry’s refusal to inject funds in efforts geared towards improvement of the welfare of soldiers.
They further claimed that the first son had demanded Shs20bn for this purpose but powerful officials at the ministry had ignored the president’s son.
That the first son had threatened to quit his job if the ministry doesn’t prioritize the welfare of soldiers.
“We [Land Forces] asked for only Shs20bn to sort out pertinent issues of accommodation, welfare and security at Bombo [General Military headquarters], Makindye Barracks and the Motorised Brigade in Nakasongola but the criminal cartel at the Ministry of Defence has been tossing our office around,” local online news publication Chimpreports quoted Kainerugaba as confiding in his “closest friends this week.”
“If my soldiers’ problems are not sorted, I will retire from the army by next year. I will have served for 28 years.”
The same publication further claimed Kainerugaba had told his friends he was concerned that “even Division Commanders are living like paupers,” that “my forces are living like cavemen,” and “Bombo [Military Barracks] is a real dungeon. It is a real disaster.”
“Quite often, these commanders have to request Gen Muhoozi’s office for “some little airtime” to run their operations.
That even when the defence budget has shot up to about Shs4tn, the soldiers have not been well facilitated to do their work.
Kainerugaba reportedly wants his father to crack the whip and clean up the Defence Ministry of corrupt officials who allegedly steal the money and leave troops suffering.
Additional Reporting: Courtesy
