Yoweri Museveni’s son says he’ll run for Uganda’s presidency

The controversial son of Uganda’s veteran chief Yoweri Museveni introduced plans to run for president within the 2026 election, saying it was “time for our generation to shine”.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba made the announcement in a now-deleted tweet posted on Wednesday night.

Observers have lengthy believed Kainerugaba, whose earlier Twitter outbursts have triggered a stir, together with a diplomatic spat with Kenya, was being tipped for the best job.

Although the 48-year-old usual has earlier denied claims he intends to succeed his father – one in all Africa’s longest-serving leaders – he has loved a speedy abide by way of Uganda’s military ranks.

Also study: Don’t take Tweeting General frivolously

In his tweet, Kainerugaba wrote: “In the name of Jesus Christ my God, in the name of all young people in Uganda and the world and in the name of our great revolution, I will stand for the presidency in 2026”.

He additionally appeared to take a dig at his 78-year-old father, writing: “How many agree with me that our time has come? Enough of the old ruling us. Dominating us. Time for our generation to shine. Retweet and like” .

He had earlier mentioned the federal government was failing to rein in corruption after an investigation accused cupboard ministers and different officers of stealing iron plates meant for villagers within the impoverished northeastern sector of Karamoja.

After a row final yr over a tweet threatening to invade Kenya, Museveni had tried to rein in his wayward son by telling him to steer clear of Twitter on concerns of state.

Museveni had apologized to Kenya in October after Kainerugaba, amongst different feedback, prompt it will take his troops two weeks to catch Nairobi.

Museveni nonetheless defended his solely son as a “very good general”, having promoted him to the rank even with stripping him of his function as head of Uganda’s land forces.

For frequent Ugandans, Kainerugaba’s location as inheritor obvious has been evident together with his dizzying climb by way of the navy, however the federal government has earlier taken a arduous line towards anybody discussing the matter.

In 2013, police shut down two impartial newspapers and two radio stations for 10 days after they printed a leaked confidential memo by a senior usual that alleged Museveni was grooming Kainerugaba to succeed him.

Kainerugaba’s feedback on delicate international coverage problems have regularly triggered diplomatic complications for Uganda.

His tweets in help of Tigrayan rebels in Ethiopia angered Addis Ababa, whilst his ideas on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the 2021 coup in Guinea additionally raised eyebrows.