Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and First Son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has declared that he will seek the country’s highest political office in 2031, openly signalling his intention to succeed his father, President Yoweri Museveni.
Muhoozi made the declaration while outlining his political ambitions, saying he intends to enter the presidential race at the end of the current political cycle.
“I will stand for the highest office in the land in 2031. And we will win by the grace of Almighty God,” Muhoozi said.
The announcement marks one of his clearest statements yet about his long-term political ambitions and places the question of presidential succession firmly at the centre of Uganda’s political debate.
Muhoozi, who also chairs the Patriotic League of Uganda, has increasingly positioned himself as a central figure in the country’s political landscape, while his supporters have continued to promote his future leadership ambitions.
In a striking indication of the role he expects his father to play in the transition, Muhoozi said Museveni would personally manage his presidential campaign.
“Mzee [Museveni] will be my campaign manager,” he said.
The declaration comes as Museveni, who has dominated Uganda’s political scene for decades, remains the country’s president after securing another elective term in the 2026 presidential election.
Muhoozi’s announcement therefore sets up a potentially significant political succession question, with the First Son now publicly attaching a specific year—2031—to his presidential ambitions.
His statement also suggests that he expects Museveni to remain an active political force during the 2031 campaign, potentially taking a direct role in backing his son’s bid for the presidency.
The declaration is likely to intensify discussion about Uganda’s post-Museveni political future and the prospect of a direct transfer of political influence from the long-serving president to his son.
For now, however, Muhoozi has made his position explicit: 2031 is the year he intends to seek the presidency, and he expects Museveni to be at the helm of his campaign.
It should be remembered that Muhoozi has previously hinted on his Uncle Salim Saleh being the one chosen to succeed Museveni, as detailed Here and There.
