The military announced on Tuesday that President Yoweri Museveni had fired his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba as head of Uganda’s land forces after Kainerugaba persistently threatened to invade neighboring Kenya on Twitter.
The de facto military leader and his father’s designated successor, Kainerugaba, later claimed the remarks were made in joke.The military said in a statement announcing Kainerugaba’s successor as land forces commander that he had been moved from lieutenant rank to full general and would continue to serve as a senior presidential assistant for special operations. There was no justification for the choice.
Kainerugaba is vociferous on social media, routinely exchanging jabs with opponents and becoming involved in politics despite being prohibited from doing so by his military position.
He posted a number of controversial tweets on Monday and Tuesday, including one advocating the union of Kenya and Uganda and another offering cows as a bride for Italy’s likely next leader.
Kainerugaba wrote, referring to the capital of Kenya, “It wouldn’t take us, my army and myself, two weeks to capture Nairobi.”
“A union is ESSENTIAL! These arbitrary borders from colonial times are no longer acceptable to honorable men. These boundaries must go if our generation bears male children.”
Kenyans responded angrily to his comments on social media.
In a statement on Tuesday, Uganda’s ministry of foreign affairs expressed its commitment to “peaceful coexistence” without specifically mentioning Kainerugaba.
with the adjacent Kenya.
Unable to read Uganda’s message, a government representative for Kenya indicated he would comment later.
Following the military’s declaration on Tuesday, Kainerugaba retweeted a number of congratulations, some of which suggested he run for president in the upcoming election.
“We’re going to celebrate this rank along Kampala Road. I’m grateful to my dad for this wonderful distinction!” Tweets from Kainerugaba.
The 78-year-old Museveni has been in power for 36 years, and analysts and opposition figures in Uganda have long accused him of preparing his son to succeed him. However, Museveni has consistently denied doing so.
On Monday, Giorgia Meloni, a right-wing politician who is anticipated to be chosen Italy’s prime minister this month, was the subject of a question from Kainerugaba to his more than 600,000 Twitter followers asking how many cows should be offered as a wedding price.
“I would immediately give her 100 Nkore cows! for having courage and being genuine! “He composed.
Kainerugaba’s offer, according to Meloni’s close aide Francesco Lollobrigida, is not a serious matter.