After taking over as the military’s top commander, Yoweri Museveni’s son in Uganda has vowed to combat corruption in the ranks, a step that is likely to hasten his ascent to become his father’s successor.
This Monday, 79-year-old Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for 38 years, appointed his 49-year-old son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to the position of Chief of Defense Forces in the East African nation.
Kainerugaba “vowed to improve the welfare of soldiers by fighting the evil of corruption and mismanagement of resources” during a formal handover ceremony on Thursday, the military said in a statement.
The Ugandan military is heavily involved in maintaining regional stability and has contingents fighting Islamic militants in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Museveni’s son’s military career was expedited, according to Uganda’s opposition, in order to position him to assume political power. Museveni has denied that he is being prepared for the presidency.
As Kainerugaba threatened to invade neighboring Kenya in posts on the social media site X in 2022, Museveni withdrew him from his position as head of Uganda’s field troops.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Kainerugaba, who also lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin, later claimed the threats were a joke.
(Reuters)
