Muhoozi says he needs two weeks to 'capture Nairobi'
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba. PHOTO/ FILE
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba Monday went on a Twitter meltdown, warning that he would only need two weeks with his army to capture Kenya's capital, Nairobi.
In what could turn into an embarrassing diplomatic tiff for the neighbouring country, Lt.Gen Muhoozi, who serves as the commander of the land forces of the Uganda People Defence Forces (UPDF) posted a series of controversial tweets about Kenya, Uganda's neighbour to the East.
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He started by blaming retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, whom he refers to as his “big brother”, for not contesting for a third term in the August 2022 polls, adding the retired president could have easily won the election.
"My only problem with my big brother is that he did not stand for a third term. We would have won easily," he wrote on Twitter.
Former president Kenyatta was barred by the Kenyan constitution from contesting for a third term.
But Muhoozi, 48, suggests Mr Kenyatta, who handed over power to President William Ruto on September 13, 2022, should have changed the constitution to remain in power.
"Haha! I love my Kenyan relatives. Constitution? Rule of law? You must be joking! For us (Uganda), there is only the Revolution and you will soon learn about it!"
Not done, Muhoozi sensationally claimed on the same platform he needs a fortnight to topple President Ruto's government.
Capture Nairobi
“It wouldn't take us, my army and me, 2 weeks to capture Nairobi,” he tweeted.
He went on: "I'm happy that members of our district in Kenya, have responded enthusiastically to my tweet. It's still 2 weeks to Nairobi! After our army captures Nairobi, where should I live? Westlands? Riverside?"
It was not immediately clear whether or not he was in charge of his Twitter account.
Incidentally, President Museveni, 78, has twice benefitted from a change of the constitution to rule Uganda for close to four decades.
This includes the move to remove the term and age limits from the constitution.
Muhoozi has also belittled opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, saying he will never rule Uganda.
“Kabobi should know that we will never allow him to be President of this country!” wrote Muhoozi.
Muhoozi’s venture into diplomacy and use of social media has raised questions if at all he is governed by military law which, at least on paper, asks soldiers to steer clear of politics.
At the peak of last year’s campaigns, Muhoozi and Bobi Wine, set the tone of what Uganda’s politics is to become.
In the fall of 2020, when Kyagulanyi was detained by police after being nominated as a presidential candidate, Muhoozi took it upon himself to guarantee the former Kyadondo East MP that more was to come.
“I told you, my young brother, that you can never intimidate us. We are much stronger than you can ever imagine being. If you want to fight, we will simply defeat you. We want peace! But if you attempt to fight us, then bring it on!” Muhoozi tweeted.
Muhoozi ruffled feathers last year when he seemingly supported the Tigrayan forces who were engaged in a civil war against Addis Ababa.
“I don’t know why my brothers in Ethiopia are fighting me?” Muhoozi asked. “It makes me sad. You are now fighting my tribe in Tigray. Tigrayans are part of us. God is the one who protects us!”
He added: “I urge my great and brave brothers in the Tigrayan Defence Forces to listen to the words of Gen Yoweri Museveni. I am as angry as you and I support your cause. Those who raped our Tigrayan sisters and killed our brothers must be punished!”
A motley crew of army officers such as Generals David Sejusa and Henry Tumukunde have previously been charged at the General Court Martial for engaging in partisan politics, but it seems Muhoozi is insulated against such.
Muhoozi and NRM have denied that there was always a plot to see him succeed his father, what is now termed “a political monarch” but they have never ruled out Muhoozi standing for presidency, always contending that Ugandans are free to choose a president of their choice.
Additional reporting by Monitor
