After 38 years in energy, the veteran chief has no rivals, main many to imagine he’s grooming his son for the highest job.
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has promoted his son as head of the military, elevating considerations that he’s grooming his eldest baby for the presidency.
The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs introduced late on Thursday that Normal Muhoozi Kainerugaba had been appointed the chief of defence forces, capping his fast ascent by means of the Ugandan military ranks for the reason that late Nineteen Nineties.
Appointments And Promotions https://t.co/rDoZRQFaKq pic.twitter.com/svkvedX1lO
— Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (@MODVA_UPDF) March 22, 2024
The veteran chief’s transfer led to hypothesis that he’s getting ready his son, 49, to succeed him as president. In a now-deleted put up on X final yr, Kainerugaba mentioned he meant to run for the presidency within the 2026 elections, though he has reportedly additionally denied claims he’s eyeing the highest job.
Just lately, the president’s son has been holding rallies across the nation, violating a regulation barring serving military officers from partaking in partisan politics. However Kainerugaba says his actions, together with the launch of activist group the Patriotic League of Uganda, are nonpartisan.
The ‘Muhoozi Challenge’
Museveni, 79, first took energy by drive in 1986 and has since been elected six instances. He has no rivals inside the ruling Nationwide Resistance Motion get together, which has led many to imagine the army could have a say in selecting his successor.
Kainerugaba’s supporters say he affords a chance for a peaceable switch of energy within the former British colony, doubtlessly the primary since independence in 1962. Critics say his rise is main the East African nation in the direction of hereditary rule.
Kainerugaba joined the military within the late Nineteen Nineties, his fast rise by means of the ranks dubbed the “Muhoozi Challenge”. Museveni and Kainerugaba have each denied the existence of a scheme to propel him to the presidency, however the appointment of the latter to military chief, accompanied by a ministerial reshuffle, suggests a transition could also be below method.
To many Ugandans, Kainerugaba’s place as inheritor obvious has lengthy been apparent, however the authorities has prior to now taken a harsh line in opposition to anybody discussing the matter.
In 2013, police shut down two impartial newspapers and two radio stations for 10 days after they revealed a leaked confidential memo by a senior basic alleging that Museveni was getting ready Kainerugaba to succeed him.
As a high-ranking army official, Kainerugaba is barred from talking publicly about political issues however has steadily waded into controversial discussions, inflicting diplomatic complications for Uganda.
He beforehand served as commander of land forces however was faraway from the place after threatening to invade neighbouring Kenya, which he later mentioned was a joke.
Museveni, who apologised to Kenya over the outburst, has however defended his solely son as a “excellent basic” and promoted him to that rank simply days after the row erupted.
Final yr, Kainerugaba declared that Uganda would “ship troopers to defend Moscow if it’s ever threatened by the Imperialists”, chiding Western nations for sharing “ineffective pro-Ukraine propaganda”.
