Besigye: I’ll Never Salute Muhoozi Even If He Becomes President

Opposition leader Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye has vowed never to salute first son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba even if he ever becomes president by succeeding his father Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni. 

In his remarks to political activists attending a People’s Front for Transition (PFT) briefing under the theme ‘Transition not Succession,’  held at Justice Forum (Jeema) offices in Mengo, Kampala, on May 06, Dr Besigye made it clear that he can never salute Lt Gen Kainerugaba.

Besigye criticized Kainerugaba for being an unprofessional military officer who has grossly disrespected the army profession. In Besigye’s view, Muhoozi thinks that his father Gen Museveni is everything and that all Ugandans are servants who must obey the First Family.

The four-time presidential candidate wondered why the first son, who is the UPDF’s Commander of Land Forces, has not be dragged to the Court Martial yet him who just sent Museveni a private dossier calling for a transition to civilian rule in 1999 was arraigned before the military court. Besigye said he was certain Lt Gen Kainerugaba would have been arrested and dragged to the military court if he was not Museveni’s son.

The former FDC president went on to note that Muhoozi has spent most of his life in State House, and that the 48-year-old military officer might have come to think that this is his home by right. President Museveni has been in power since 1986, meaning that Muhoozi has spent about 36 of the 48 years of his life in State House.

By the time his father’s National Resistance Army (NRA) captured power, Muhoozi was living in exile. Besigye and Muhoozi were previously involved in an exchange of words after the politician from Rwakabengo said that the first son was once a refugee.

Muhoozi would return to go to school at Kampala Parents, a school for the children of wealthy Ugandans, before proceeding to St Mary’s College, Kisubi. The veteran opposition politician says Muhoozi might not have gotten a chance to understand the real life challenges poor Ugandans live in.

With Muhoozi clearly in his father Museveni’s succession equation, Besigye says he will never salute him even if he ever becomes the head of state and government of Uganda.  “Even me who retired on the rank of Col, I am better than Muhoozi professionally and I cannot salute him,” said Besigye.

Besigye is not the first opposition leader and for bush war fighter to make it clear that he will never salute Lt Gen Kainerugaba. Recently, former spymaster Gen David Tinyefuuza (Sejusa) fumed at he was told that he will soon start saluting Muhoozi. (Read Story Here).

Meanwhile, Muhoozi could be in trouble after a city lawyer dragged him to the constitutional court over his birthday party celebrations and Twitter posts in which political statements have been made in relation to his rumored 2026 presidential bid.

Muhoozi recently revealed that he would soon release his political program. Ugandan laws bar serving UPDF officers from engaging in politics. Muhoozi would need to retire from the army before making such political statements or even openly expressing interest in standing for the highest office in the land.

It is against this background that Muhoozi now has 10 days within which to defend himself in a petition a fearless city lawyer has filed before the Constitutional Court in Kampala. (Read Story Here).