President Museveni’s outspoken son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has apologised over a social media tirade that included a threat to invade neighbouring Kenya.
The remarks posted on Twitter this month by the 48-year-old senior presidential advisor special operations, caused outrage in Kenya and angry calls for a formal explanation from Uganda.
“I have never had any problem with Afande Ruto,” Kainerugaba tweeted late Thursday, referring to Kenya’s newly-elected President William Ruto.
“If I made a mistake anywhere, I ask him to forgive me as his young brother.”
Among other remarks, Kainerugaba suggested taking his troops to capture Nairobi and chided Kenya’s former leader Uhuru Kenyatta for not attempting an unconstitutional third bid at the presidency in the August election.
It is not the first time Kainerugaba’s comments on sensitive foreign policy matters have caused diplomatic headaches for Uganda.
Museveni, who had attended Ruto’s swearing in ceremony last month, rebuked his son for “meddling in the affairs” of Kenya and speaking publicly about political matters, something he is barred from doing as a high-ranking military official.
The long-serving Ugandan leader also announced that Kainerugaba would no longer lead the country’s land forces, although he was promoted to the rank of general.
Kainerugaba’s tweets in support of Tigrayan rebels in northern Ethiopia angered Addis Ababa, while his thoughts on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and last year’s coup in Guinea also raised eyebrows.
what lingers in many of the Africans is whether Muhoozi is speaking on behalf of his father and if not so why did Museveni promote his son to a higher rank even after his reckless remarks?
