Uganda’s President Appoints Son As Military Chief

Uganda’s veteran leader, Yoweri Museveni, has appointed his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba to head the country’s defence forces, the East African nation’s government said. 

The announcement by the defence ministry late on Friday followed years of speculation that Kainerugaba, whose social media outbursts have sparked diplomatic uproars, was being trained to handle top national matters.

Although the 49-year-old general has in the past denied claims he intends to succeed his father — one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders — he has enjoyed a rapid climb through Uganda’s army ranks.

Museveni described his only son as a “very good general” and promoted him to that rank.Friday’s announcement was part of a reshuffle within the government, with the former army chief General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi appointed to serve as the junior minister for trade.

Opposition politicians condemned the move to promote Kainerugaba

David Lewis Rubongoya, secretary general of the National Unity Platform party, called it “a sad day for our country”.

Another opposition lawmaker, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, accused Museveni of treating the country as “a personal enterprise of his family”.

“Ugandans need to rise collectively and oppose Museveni’s family dynasty because we own this country and not Museveni alone,” he told AFP.