Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has asked Kenyans for “forgiveness” after his son – a senior military officer – tweeted about invading their country.
His apology came a day after he sacked Muhoozi Kainerugaba as commander of the army’s land forces.
He, however, softened the sanction by promoting him to the rank of general, and retaining him as his adviser. This made Kainerugaba the youngest to attain such position it the country’s military rank.
His son handed over the office to Lt.General Kayanja.
In an October 3, 2022 tweet, not yet deleted, Kainerugaba said; “It wouldn’t take us, my army and me, 2 weeks to capture Nairobi.”
Muhoozi Kainerugaba also boasted; “After capturing Nairobi, I shall take my wife on a tour of our district.”
He also said; “After we create our East African Federation. President Museveni will be President, Afande Ruto will be Vice President, My brother Uhuru will be Foreign Affairs Minister. I just want to be CDF of the East African forces.”
“As I told my father we younger East Africans have decided that we will be one nation! No amount of threats will stop us from that goal!
“My Kenyan brothers, we are going to be one country. Any war against us will end quickly!
“The borders that were established by the colonisers mean nothing to us revolutionaries. Nairobi!”
He said he had spoken to Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and expressed regret that he had stepped down at the end of his two terms in August.
“My only problem with my beloved big brother is that he didn’t stand for a third term. We would have won easily!” Gen Kainerugaba said.
Not being remorseful after his comments generated criticism from Kenyans, before the announcement of his promotion, Kainerugaba tweeted; “Had a good discussion with my great father this morning. Apparently, my tweets scared Kenyans too much? He will announce the changes. There is a special prayer I shall make for our army.”
Museveni has long been suspected of grooming the 48-year-old to succeed him when he eventually steps down.
Gen Kainerugaba has increasingly been entering the political arena, with his critics saying this was in breach of the military’s code of discipline.
In his apology tweet about his son’s comments, Musevani said; “I ask our Kenyan brothers and sisters to forgive us for tweets sent by General Muhoozi, former Commander of Land Forces here, regarding the election matters in that great country.
“It is not correct for Public officers, be they civilian or military, to comment or interfere in any way, in the internal affairs of brother countries.
“The only available legitimate forum is the Peer Review Mechanism of the African Union or confidential interactions among us or EAC and AU fora –not public comments.”
Justifying the promotion of his son to the general rank, he said; “this mistake is one aspect where he has acted negatively as a Public officer.
“There are, however, many other positive contributions the General has made and can still make. This is a time-testedformula –discourage the negative and encourage the positive”.
“I know for a fact that General Muhoozi is a passionate Pan-Africanist. However, the correct method for Pan-Africanists is confidential interactions or using the available fora (EAC and AU), especially if you are a Public officer.”
Hinting he subscribed to his son’s view, Museveni said; “I have conveyed all those views confidentially to H.E. Ruto, the President of Kenya.”
