Uganda's Parliamentary Defense Committee has dismissed the Defense Minister, Jacob Oboth-Oboth, and called for the appearance of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Museveni's son and the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), to answer questions regarding his controversial social media posts that have sparked diplomatic tensions and damaged Uganda's international reputation.
Minister Oboth-Oboth was present with senior officials from the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF), including Deputy CDF Lt. Gen. Samuel Okiding, to discuss the 2024/25 Budget Framework Paper for the Ministry of Defense. However, the committee members, led by opposition figures like Mr. Derrick Nyeko, insisted that Gen. Muhoozi must appear to address his series of erratic posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Nyeko, a member of the National Unity Platform (NUP), highlighted specific tweets where Gen. Muhoozi attacked neighboring countries, called for foreign diplomats to apologize to Uganda, and made threats, including a claim that opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye would be hanged on Heroes' Day. "These are issues that the CDF must answer to personally," Nyeko stated, stressing that such matters cannot be handled by deputy officials.
The call for Muhoozi's appearance was supported by Butiru County MP Godfrey Wakooli, who expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding the situation. "How can the deputy CDF be aware of these matters but not the CDF himself?" Wakooli asked.
Despite some attempts from committee chairperson Wilson Kajwengye to allow the meeting to proceed without Gen. Muhoozi, the pressure from MPs led to a decision to adjourn the session. Kajwengye suggested that the matter could be discussed during the upcoming presentation of the UPDF Amendment Bill, but the committee ultimately insisted that Gen. Muhoozi appear before them to address the concerns directly.
Minister Oboth-Oboth responded to the committee's requests, acknowledging that they had not brought Gen. Muhoozi to the meeting. He explained that the general was on an official trip to Djibouti and that his social media posts were personal, not official matters managed by the Ministry. "I think you are not asking too much, it is normal, and we can arrange for a meeting where Gen. Muhoozi can answer these questions," he said.
Gen. Okiding, the deputy CDF, confirmed that he had spoken with Gen. Muhoozi, who had informed him of his travel plans, but he was unable to provide further details on the tweets.
Following the adjournment, Kajwengye instructed that the Minister return with a fully constituted delegation, including Gen. Muhoozi, by Monday at 9 am for the next session. The committee emphasized that they would not proceed without the CDF’s direct involvement in addressing the issues raised.
Gen. Muhoozi’s social media activity has previously led to diplomatic fallout. In 2022, his tweet about capturing Nairobi within two weeks sparked a major diplomatic dispute with Kenya, forcing an apology to President William Ruto. Additionally, his recent remarks about the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, William Popp, demanding an apology or departure from the country, further strained relations between Uganda and the United States.
The government's distancing of itself from Gen. Muhoozi's personal tweets has done little to quell the controversy, with opposition figures calling for greater accountability regarding his public statements and their potential impact on Uganda’s foreign relations.
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