Internal affairs minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire has spoken out on reports that he hates Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son to his boss President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.
Gen Muhoozi’s supporters, now bundled under the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) have in recent months intensified their criticism of Otafiire, a bush war comrade of Gen Museveni – and one of the last serving members of the 1986 club of bush war fighters.
The Muhoozi group even exchanged bitterly over the first son’s visit to Mitooma District, Otafiire’s birthplace. As Otafiire’s power has waned, a new powerful official has emerged in Mitooam: deputy speaker and Ruhinda North MP Thomas Tayebwa.
A former opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) member, Tayebwa has embraced Muhoozi and his presidential ambitions.
But Otafiire has expressed his reservations on the first son’s interest in succeeding his father who has ruled Uganda for nearly four decades since he took over in 1986.
Muhoozi’s supporters have interpreted – or rather misinterpreted – Otafiire’s criticism to mean hatred for the first son. Yet Otafiire says he does not hate the president’s son – but rather the idea of a Muhoozi presidency.
“Some people spend their time lying to you that Kahinda hates Museveni’s son, Kainerugaba. I don’t hate Kainerugaba as a person: I don’t want Kainerugaba to be president,” Otafiire recently explained.
“There is a difference. I love Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son. But I don’t support the idea of Kainerugaba being Uganda’s president. I don’t hide that. For those saying I hate the president’s son, No, we elect a president of Uganda l, not so-and-so’s son.”
Otafiire is not the first bush war general to oppose Muhoozi’s presidential ambitions. Other former bush war fighters have said Muhoozi would only be president over their dead bodies. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
Some people have claimed that Otafiire wants one of his sons to stand for president and ensure Muhoozi does not succeed his father Museveni. Otafiire’s sons have also been key in defending their father, with one of them telling a Muhoozi’s spokesperson to shut his mandibles. (Read Details Here, There and Over There).
Meanwhile, there are indicators that Museveni could have paused Muhoozi’s 2026. (See Details Here).
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