First son Muhoozi Kainerugaba is now a full general of the national army, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) after being decorated at the Bombo Military Headquarters on Monday, October 10, 2022. Gen Muhoozi has also handed over the command of the UPDF Land Forces to his successor Lt Gen Apollo Muhanga Kayanja.
Gen Kainerugaba will retain the position of senior presidential advisor on special operations, a job for which he will report directly to his 78-year-old father and Ugandan long serving president Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.
At only 48 years, Gen Muhoozi is now a full general, the highest ranking in the UPDF. So, what does the general intend to use his time on, and how will this feed into his rumored presidential ambitions.
The role of the Commander Land Forces is a very busy job. This is something that Gen Muhoozi acknowledged when he addressed hundreds of his supporters gathered at the Bombo Grounds to welcome him and express support to him following his pipping which was done by his wife Charlotte Nankunda Kutesa Kainerugaba and his uncle Gen Caleb Akandwanaho aka Salim Saleh.
The decoration of Gen Muhoozi was simply a statement that spoke more than the controversial tweeting general was willing and ready to reveal.
From hundreds accompanying Museveni’s son to the pipping ceremony, to more youth waiting for him at the Bombo Grounds, this was Muhoozi’s day to make a statement, pointing to things to come.
Needless to say that the youths accompanying Muhoozi and those attending his decoration celebrations at Bombo Grounds donned t-shirts praising him as their generational leader and a man who is fit to succeed his father Gen Museveni in 2026.
These youths were under the command of Museveni’s brother (and therefore Muhoozi’s uncle) Michael Nuwagira aka Toyota, the leader of Team Chairman, the group spearheading the Muhoozi presidential project.
In his speech, Muhoozi saluted his father for promoting him to the rank of general and thanked him for always guiding him and the national army.
He then sought to emphasize his interest into the youths, a constituency he will badly need if he is indeed interested in winning an electoral contest to replace his aging father Gen Museveni as the country’s next president.
Museveni’s son said the job of Commander Land Forces had taken up too much of his time, making it mostly difficult for him to interact with them.
“Now that I have some free time — I am no longer the Commander Land Forces — that means I have more time to interact with the youths. That will be my priority,” said Muhoozi.
“I am going to make it my number one mission to always interact with the youth of Uganda. We love you so much, you should be confident: this is your country, you have a right to be heard and your interests will be taken seriously. I will be meeting with you in the future and telling you more about how we are going to be working together.”
This is not the first time Muhoozi is emphasizing his interest in the youths, as rumors on his presidential ambitions continue to form a large part of the Museveni succession debates.
"Now that I'm no longer Commander Land Forces, I have some time to interact with the youths. That will be my priority."
~Gen @mkainerugaba~ #Bombo pic.twitter.com/06Y2ZUf3yM
— SHADRACH ™ N🇺🇬 (@NamwaShadrac) October 10, 2022
In April this year, Muhoozi unveiled his plan for the Ugandan youths. (Read Story Here).
Muhoozi also hinted on his plan to succeed his father Museveni in 2026. (Read Story Here).
But a fearless opposition MP has said that Muhoozi should be in Luzira Prison or at his father Museveni’s farm rearing cows. (Read Story Here).
