Gen. Muhoozi asks Museveni to hand him the army, hopes to be president

President Yoweri Museveni's son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has caused yet another Twitter storm after demanding the army from his father.

Gen Muhoozi, in the latest Twitter outburst against his father, said the Ugandan army belongs to him and should be handed to him.

While quoting Col Jet Mwebaze's sentiments to the effect that "Only the dead have seen the end of war" Muhoozi said since fortune favours the sons of God, he will thus be favoured to become the president of Uganda someday.

"UPDF is still 'My' Army. Afande Mzee, I want my army back!!. Fortune favours the sons of God! I will be President of Uganda one day!," Muhoozi wrote on his Twitter account.

"I will make you a great name amongst the great ones in the earth... This is the word of the Lord of Hosts, I took you from the pastures and from following the cows to be Prince over my people Uganda. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have destroyed all your enemies in your path...," he twitted.

Last month Muhoozi, well known as the Tweeting General, said he wanted to be the president of Uganda in honour of his mother Janet Museveni.

In a series of Twitter 'outbursts' on taking over after his father, which also put the opposition side on notice, Gen Kainerugaba said becoming the president of the Republic of Uganda would be the best way to appreciate his mother.

"The only way I can re-pay my great mother is by being President of Uganda! And I shall do it!" he said.

Uganda will go to the polls in 2026. Museveni has ruled the country since he ascended to power in 1986.

"To the Ugandan opposition, after my father, I will defeat you badly in any election. Ugandans love me more than they'll ever love you," Muhoozi said last year.

Bobi Wine, a musician and politician is seen as the main challenger of Museveni and is the leader of the National Unity Platform.

Wine first declared his presidential bid in 2019 but lost to Museveni in the 2021 elections.

In October last year, the general caused another Twitter storm after claiming that he would lead the army to take over Nairobi.

The tweets caused a diplomatic situation, with Kenyan officials raising the matter with Kampala.

Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua told The Standard on the telephone that the government was taking the communication seriously and had sought clarification on the tirade by the senior military official.

"Yes, we took it seriously. I met with the ambassador to get a clarification on what was going on and he assured me that it was not the government position. Unless otherwise stated, that was a personal thing and not the position of the government," said Dr Mutua.

In messages Gen Kainerugaba posted on social media, he said it would take him and his army only two weeks to take over Nairobi after which he would bring his wife to tour their new district.

"It wouldn't take us, my army and me, two weeks to capture Nairobi," General Muhoozi tweeted. "After our army captures Nairobi, where should I live? Westlands? Riverside?"

"To all compatriots, fellow countrymen and women, Uganda and Kenya: I say we must all conquer our fears. These colonial borders must fall!" he wrote.

"I would never beat up the Kenyan army because my father told me never to attempt it! So our people in Kenya should relax!"

His sentiments were, however, dismissed by the government of Uganda which issued a formal statement on the matter, saying the country does not conduct matters touching on foreign policy on social media platforms.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda has noted the debate on social media in respect to the relationship between Uganda and our brotherly neighbour, the Republic of Kenya," the Ministry said.

In a surprise turn of events, President Museveni promoted Muhoozi to a full general but without defined responsibilities.

The Daily Monitor reported that Muhoozi, then a Lieutenant-General Army Commander was replaced by Kayanja Muhanga who was promoted to Lieutenant-General.

In a previous interview with KTN's Sophia Wanuna, Museveni remained cagey about the politics of succession and whether he was backing his son's ambition to succeed him.

He, however, defended the son's promotion despite his Twitter faux pas f saying he had done commendable work in the army and that he deserved the promotion.

Security experts have maintained that although Muhoozi's outbursts have little military threat, he is using social media to pass a political message.

Many say whereas, in the disciplined forces, such communication would be unexpected, generally, Gen. Kainerugaba is more of a politician than a general.