It is no longer a secret that Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the frequently tweeting Uganda first son and senior presidential advisor on special operations, wants to be the country’s next president, taking over from his father Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, a man who has ruled the land locked East African nation for nearly four decades in a row. But former army commander and Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) leader Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu has sounded a clear warning to both the president and ‘crown prince.’
From denying and claiming that the so-called Muhoozi Project did not exist, Gen Muhoozi has in recent months hinted on his plan to succeed his father as the President of the Republic of Uganda. Recent events have also shown that the first son is on a clear path to replace his father as the head of state and government in the impoverished East African nation. From his mega birthday party celebrations across the country as he turned 48 years, to celebrating his promotion to the rank of a full general of the UPDF, the national army, the writing on the ‘Muhoozi Project’ has been on the wall. ‘
Yet when, nearly a decade ago, former spymaster Gen David Sejusa (previously Tinyefuuza) hinted on a plan that would reportedly see top government officials and military officers opposed to the so-called Muhoozi Project (where the first son would supposedly take over from his father Museveni), he (Gen Sejusa) got into trouble with the state.
But in recent years, Muhoozi himself has thrown useful hints on his grand plan to become Uganda’s President, leaving critics asking if he thinks that Uganda is a monarchy where the throne of power is inherited by the king’s son (prince). In Uganda, the whispers that Muhoozi could be the crown prince or heir apparent to Gen Museveni’s throne are growing louder.
So, when Muhoozi talked of his plan to become Uganda’s President so as to ‘repay’ his mother Janet Kataaha Kainembabazi Museveni for her good deeds, many were not surprised. (Read More About Gen Muhoozi’s Big Announcement on running for president Here).
As expected, Muhoozi’s announcement was greeted with mixed reactions, with his supporters praising him and telling him it was his turn to rule Ugandans and how they shower him with votes if (or is it now a question of when?) he appears on the ballot paper in 2026 or 2031.
On the other hand, Muhoozi’s critics wrote of how they felt he is not the right man to become the country’s next president and of how he lacks the credentials to lead, and how is only hiding behind his status as the president’s son. Yet some others, as have been their habit, accused Muhoozi and his father of presiding over human rights violations.
But there is another group of people, whose main interest is the push for the respecting of the national army and the UPDF. Either opposed to or supportive of Muhoozi’s presidential ambitions, this group feels that the first son should first retire from the national army before talking partisan politics.
Although he has parroted this call in recent months, Maj Gen (Rtd) Muntu saw it timely to tell Gen Museveni to do something about his son’s continued political declarations yet he is still a serving senior military officer who is supposed to steer clear of partisan talk. Muntu now wants Museveni to use his powers as the Commander in Chief of the country’s armed forces to cause the retirement of his son from the national army so that Muhoozi can pursue his 2026 presidential bid.
“To Gen YKMuseveni, C-I-C. That General is still in a UPDF uniform. It won’t help for you to put your head in the sand. The buck stops with you for now. Over to you,” Muntu wrote to Museveni, his former boss in government and national army, as well as his former commander in the National Resistance Army (NRA) bush war that catapulted the current regime into power.
It should be remembered that exactly 10 days ago, Maj Gen (Rtd) Muntu warned Museveni and his son against throwing Uganda into chaos and making the country go to war with its neighbors such as Kenya. (Read Story Here).
But when Muntu has previously sent such a clear warning to Museveni about his son’s presidential ambitions, Muhoozi has reacted angrily. For example, when Muntu punched holes in Muhoozi’s English, the first son fired back at him (Muntu), telling him that his father (Museveni) had made a mistake to choose him (Muntu) as an army commander, adding that he was only fit to be in a seminary and a church choir. (Read about the War of Words Here).
Meanwhile, after Muhoozi declared that he will run for president, his father cleared his plan to hold a mega youth conference for which he has invited 20 presidents. (See Details Here).
