A Ugandan MP has come out to propose that President Yoweri Museveni should appoint his son, military chief and advisor on special operations as the country’s next vice president. In the third part of our Cabinet Fever series, The Pearl Times’ Samuel Kamugisha looks at what it would mean if Museveni appointed Muhoozi vice president, and would to be a clear father-to-son succession plot, the final phase of the Muhoozi Project rumors?
In 2013, former Ugandan spymaster Gen David Sejusa (previously Tinyefuuza) alleged that there was a plan to eliminate senior military and government officials opposed to so-called plot to ensure that Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba succeeds his father as president. The plot came to be widely known as the Muhoozi Project.
Years later, Gen Muhoozi expressed interest in running for the country’s top most office. The first son even formed an organization, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) to work as a vehicle for his political ambition.
Muhoozi even said that while Sejusa had coined the ‘Muhoozi Project’ phrase to destroy him, Ugandans had turned what would have been a curse into a blessing.
Rising through the ranks in the national army to become the UPDF’s top most boss: the chief of defence forces (CDF), Muhoozi is now a political force and a key element of Uganda’s transition (or sometimes succession) debates.
His father Museveni, aged 81, has ruled Uganda since 1986 when Muhoozi was a boy of 12 years. Museveni led a bush war for five years before his National Resistance Army NRA captured power 40 years ago.
The long serving Ugandan leader was reelected for another five-year term in January 2026 and will now extend his rule to a cool 45 years by the end of his new term that ends in 2031.
In his inaugural speech as president, Museveni diagnosed the problem of Africa as leaders who overstay in power – he seems to be now considering the problem of Africa as “over sleeping,” as reported Here.
MUHOOZI AS VICE PRESIDENT?
Kanyum MP Simon Peter Opolot Okwalinga says it is high time Museveni appointed Muhoozi the vice president.
MP Opolot Okwalinga believes that Gen Muhoozi will help to tackle corruption in government based on his method of work in the UPDF.
MP Opolot Okwalinga says that the Inspector General of Government (IGG) fears to crack the whip against a number of officials, especially those above her in the rankings of the national order of precedence.
The legislator says that Muhoozi would be in charge of discipline in government.
The proposal by Opolot Okwalinga already has the backing of other MPs such as Twalla Fadil, the legislator representing Tingey County.
Interestingly, Muhoozi recently gave Fadil Twalla a coveted patriotic officer number, similar to those of Museveni’s NRA bush war resistance officer numbers.
FINAL PHASE OF MUHOOZI PROJECT
If Museveni appointed Muhoozi vice president, it would appear as the final phase of Sejusa’s 2013 rumor on the so-called Muhoozi project. As vice president, Muhoozi would be closer to the throne, becoming the person to take over if his father resigned or was unable to rule.
The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda allows the vice president to assume the office of president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office. If such scenarios happen, a vice president serves as president until elections are conducted within six months.
And such a vice president-turned president is eligible to run to keep the office he or she has been running as acting president. And if there is about a year or less remaining, the vice president-turned-president can complete the term of office that his or her previous boss had begun but was unable to complete.
RULING NRM TENSIONS
There are certainly a number of people opposed to the ‘Muhoozi Project’ within the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Bush war veterans like Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire have opposed any plots for Muhoozi to succeed his father. (See related reporting Here and There).
The old guard such as Otafiire would likely be sidelined, with a new crop of post-1986 politicians and military men taking over through top government and military positions. In fact, in the UPDF where Muhoozi has a lot of control, post-1986 officers are in charge.
Such tensions within in the NRM might escalate. There are those who are interested in the country’s top office, and who feel that the ruling party should use its structures to choose someone that should succeed Museveni.
But Muhoozi has tactically been wooing some top NRM leaders, including deputies to his father and national chairman such as second national vice chairperson and speaker of parliament Anita Annet Among, who once confessed she believed in the trinity of Museveni the father, the son and mother, as reported Here.
Apart from the NRM, a Muhoozi vice presidency would be greeted with criticism from the opposition who would see the appointment as a plot aimed at grabbing power and keeping it within the first family. Even the international community would not be amused – they would talk of Uganda turning into a monarchy and the opposition would likely demand that the West stops funding Uganda under Museveni and his son – not forgetting a call for sanctions.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine has previously told Muhoozi and Museveni’s wife that they can only inherit Museveni’s and other properties but not Uganda. (See Details Here).
MILITARY = GOVERNMENT?
If Museveni appointed Muhoozi as vice president, the lines between government and the military would be blurred, with the UPDF most likely engaging in a number of projects and running the affairs of the state and government.
Already, the UPDF is in engineering and construction, and handles multi-billion projects through its Engineering Brigade. Muhoozi has been talking of his plans for Kampala Capital City and talking big about ridding government of corruption.
If Museveni appointed Muhoozi, the trajectory of Uganda’s political future would appear clearly shifting from father to son. But whether Muhoozi will become vice president will become clear in coming months when Museveni unveils his cabinet. Already, there are so-called leaked cabinet lists that have been flagged fake, as reported Here.
You can see the names of politicians said to be under consideration for the position of vice president by Museveni, as well as ex-ministers expected to bounce back to Museveni’s cabinet Here and There.
Meanwhile, a prophet whose predictions on presidents came true has revealed the name of the person he claims God has shown him will become president. (See Details Here and There).
Watch video on ‘Muhoozi Project’ Final Phase? What it Would Mean if Museveni Appointed Muhoozi Vice President HERE.
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