A group of ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) youths calling the 1986 Generation have rejected the so-called Muhoozi Project, under which President and party national chairman Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni is reportedly expected to help first son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba succeed him.
While the Muhoozi Project had largely remained an 2013 allegation by former spymaster Gen David Sejusa (previously Tinyefuuza), the first son’s recently concluded 48th birthday celebrations have pointed to the possibility of a Museveni-Muhoozi succession.
But the 1986 Youth Generation leaders have called on all Ugandans, including young people, to reject the Muhoozi Project, saying its promoters are filled with the spirit of selfishness and want to undermine the country’s stability.
“President Yoweri Museveni has all his time worked hard to build a strong army, economy and unite Ugandans. We as the youths of NRM, we cannot just look on when the egoistic few people want to take state power using their privileges, money to destabilize our country under the guise of MK Project,” said 1986 Generation spokesperson Jamir Kazibwe in a statement.
Kazibwe went on to note that Ugandan are bound by their Constitution and the rules governing their political parties, and any change of leadership which does not expect the laws of the land should be rejected.
The NRM 1986 Youth Generation have since asked “all lovers of NRM, President Museveni, a peaceful Uganda and NRM Youths” to distance themselves from the Muhoozi Project.
Kazibwe’s statement came a few days after the NRM Youth League executive endorsed Muhoozi, saying that “his leadership has helped bring hundreds of Ugandan young people together to debate and hopefully find solutions to some challenges Ugandans face.”
In a May 11 statement Youth League secretary general Moris Muhindo said members of the party’s youth wing committee “fully support Lt Gen Muhoozi Keinerugaba’s pursuit for a new Uganda and rally the young people to carry on his message because it sits at the core of our generation.”
Muhindo also said the NRM Youth league executive members believe in Muhoozi’s “potential, creativity and energy.”
He added: “The NRM Youth League has and will continue to stand and work closely as possible with him, to build the kind of country we all want to resolutely delight in. The NRM Youth League is proud to be a link in these generational discussions that are currently ongoing and looks forward to seeing this growing and expanding in the coming months so even more young people can join the conversation.”
With two NRM youth factions divided on the matter of the Museveni-Muhoozi succession, Muhoozi Project seems to be threatening Museveni’s NRM. Recently, cracks seem to be developing after some members of the Muhoozi camp started plotting to form a new party, leaving some pointing to the possibility of things falling apart within the NRM. (Read Story Here).
The NRM 1986 Youth Generation is not the first group to reject Muhoozi. In a recent poll commissioned by the first son himself, majority of Ugandans said Muhoozi should not stand for president in 2026. (Read Story Here).
