Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni had in a surprising move, announced his departure from X, the platform where he has been known for his controversial posts. The 50-year-old army general, who has increasingly ventured into the political arena, has prompted debates about his ambitions to succeed his father, who has been in power since 1986.
Kainerugaba recently sparked outrage with a tweet threatening to behead Bobi Wine, the country’s leading opposition figure.
In his final post on Friday, he stated that it was “time to leave and concentrate” on his military duties, but promised to “re-converge” with his one million followers in the future. This is not the first time he has deactivated his account; he previously quit the platform in 2022, only to return days later.
Critics have frequently targeted Kainerugaba for his social media statements, which often breach military protocols. In 2022, he made headlines by discussing an invasion of neighboring Kenya, prompting his father to apologize.
His recent threat against Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, drew widespread condemnation. Although Kainerugaba apologized, calling it a joke, Bobi Wine had said he could not take such threats lightly.
The Ugandan government downplayed the incident, with a spokesperson describing Kainerugaba’s remarks as “casual” and not reflective of official policy.
His undiplomatic outbursts have also angered other countries, including comments about siding with Russia in the Ukraine invasion and supporting Tigray in the Ethiopian civil war. Despite this, President Museveni has defended his son as a “very good general,” and the army has upheld his right to free expression.
In his farewell message, Kainerugaba attributed his decision to leave X to his faith and a renewed focus on his military duties. “It is on the instructions and blessings of my Lord Jesus Christ that I leave this social media and dedicate myself to my assignment to bring peace and security to our region,” he stated. He also urged his followers to continue supporting his father, whom he called “the greatest general of the resistance.”
Seen as a potential successor to his father, Kainerugaba has been mobilizing support across the country, drawing criticism. His rapid rise in the military, dubbed the “Muhoozi Project” by local media, began when he joined the army in 1999. “I know you all love me, and that you will continue to follow me like the wind long after here,” he said in his signing-off statement.
