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Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba under fire in Uganda’s parliament

Jonathan Odur (Erute South) speaks in parliament on the CDF’s recent remarks

Govt defends First Son Muhoozi’s political statements

Kampala, Uganda | INDEPENDENT, URN & PARLIAMENT WATCH UGANDA  | The government has defended the Chief of Defense Forces of the UPDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s right to make political statements.

Over the weekend, Muhoozi made several political comments using his X page. In one of the posts, Muhoozi said he would not contest the presidency in 2026 but would instead support his father Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

“I would like to announce that I will not be on the ballot paper in 2026. Almighty God told me to focus on His Army first. So, I fully endorse President Yoweri Museveni in the next elections,” Muhoozi said.

In another tweet, Muhoozi said no civilian would lead Uganda after President Museveni. He said the security forces will not allow it.

“The next leader will be a soldier or policeman,” Muhoozi said.

Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuzi and the Minister for Information and National Guidance Chris Baryomunsi said like any other citizen, Gen Muhoozi has a right to all freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Kafuzi particularly said the constitution and the UPDF act that bars serving army officers from engaging in partisan politics don’t in any way take away a person’s right to freedom of expression and conscience.

“Article 208 which says UPDF shall be subject to civilian authority doesn’t take away a right to have an opinion, freedom of expression. The rights and freedoms enshrined in Article. Chapter 4 of the Constitution is one in which the Bill or rights is enshrined and at no time does the Constitution that Article 208 ousts Chapter 4 of the Constitution. Being a military man, doesn’t put you outside the ambits of Chapter 4 of the Constitution. You retain the right to express yourself, you form a right to form an opinion,” remarked Kafuuzi.

Minister Baryomunsi had also defended Muhoozi, saying that he makes political statements on his behalf and not on behalf of the UPDF and government.

“In government, there is a formal way how government officers communicate for that to be an official communication…I speak for government but I can’t just be at a party and conversing and then take my conversation to be a government policy. What Gen Muhoozi Kinerugaba commented was just a casual comment which we don’t take. There is a formal way through which UPDF communicates,” Baryomunsi said.

The comments were prompted by a point of procedure raised by the MP for Kira municipality Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda who wondered whether the utterances of Muhoozi don’t contravene the constitution and the UPDF Act.
“I want to draw you to the utterances made by Muhoozi Kainerugaba who is a Chief of Defence Forces himself, first that after his father the President, no civilian will be President in Uganda. Two, that as CDF, he has now endorsed the NRM Chairman for the next Presidential elections. These two issues, go against the core principles of this Constitution that a CDF, a military officer is endorsing the candidate of a political party. But he is also issuing threats that no civilian will be President after his father, that the Army will not allow,” remarked Ssemujju.

Speaking today in Parliament, David Kabanda, the MP for Kasambya and Secretary General of the Patriotic League of Uganda, Muhoozi’s political pressure group denied Muhoozi making the statements.

 

Jonathan Odur (Erute South) while contributing to the debate said, ” I was the Shadow Minister responsible for Defence and I put this question to the delegation of UPDF, that we have a serving military officer who appears to be above the law. When I begun to ask the question former Defence Minister Vincent Ssempijja felt some cold and rushed out, Marksons Oboth the State Minister for Defence then, immediately got a call and rushed out saying I am coming back literally running away.”

He then asked the then CDF Wilson Mbadi who had the command. ” I asked him, as the Army Commander, can’t you issue orders. The CDF told me….. Do not cause me trouble. And said, please, leave me alone,” Jonathan Odur told parliament.

Speaker Thomas Tayebwa ruled that the UPDF should handle the matter.

“The UPDF has its own Code of Conduct, has its own disciplinary procedures. If any member of the UPDF violates their code of conduct, they are subjected to their disciplinary action. I have seen Generals going there, I have seen senior officers going there. So, I don’t want Parliament to turn itself into an investigative body, before the Institution can utilize its own mechanisms in case there was a problem. Really, I am not going to refer this matter to the Committee for investigation, ”  Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said.

This after fiery MPs  Wilfred Niwagaba, and Sseggona had called for Muhoozi’s remarks to subjected to a Parliamentary investigation.

Niwagaba, Shadow Attorney General questioned Kafuuzi’s legal prowess wondering how a top Government advisor would defend utterances made by Muhoozi, which he says violate the Constitution and other provisions in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Act, the same Force that he commands.

“All along I thought I went to the same Law School as my learned friend, until today. Well, I am not saying that I am disappointed because he has expressed his opinion, but I think it is vulgarizing a very important matter that Ssemujju has raised. 

Sseggona had said: “I thought that the right way of dealing with this would be referring this matter for an investigation irrespective of who is involved because it is about our lives, it is about the safety of everybody in this country, it is a matter that should be investigated.”

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One comment

  1. We are ugandans, we are well secured, we have peace and freedom, our president is well known as the best top world sweet heart leader, every where is prof.H.E.GEN.YKMT ISHE GREAT NEXT PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF UGANDA. The major problem of some few ugandans is that we don’t respect our defence forces.. But all developed countries use Army presidency only. I remember before Mwiine late Kaguta, uganda was on ant clock wise. But now uganda is about to be like Qatar. Why don’t we vote H.E.GEN YKMT unopposed for 2 terms akyaali mbooko nyo nyo kuba taina tima, taina nugu ate tasosola’? More that.. 90%ugandans want to welcome HON.CDF GEN MUHOOZI Kainerugaba as next president because He is the one and only with secreat of the best presidency. Abalala basuma ba Oil Mzee jjaakuumidde okumala ebaanga, tebayagaliza muna uganda kubeela bulungi.

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