President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, aged 79, has appointed his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to lead the military.
This promotion of the 49-year-old occurs alongside a significant cabinet reshuffle that saw the dismissal of five ministers.
Despite longstanding speculation suggesting otherwise, President Museveni has refuted claims that he is grooming his sole son as his successor.
Gen Kainerugaba, a contentious figure, has become progressively engaged in politics, a departure from military protocols.
In 2022, his father relieved him of his duties as commander of the army’s land forces after he made threats on Twitter, now referred to as X, to invade neighboring Kenya.
President Museveni subsequently issued an apology to Kenya’s leader and sought forgiveness from Kenyans on behalf of his son.
Nevertheless, Gen Kainerugaba’s contentious tweet remains undeleted, and despite this incident, he was promoted to general and retained as his father’s advisor.
He later stirred controversy with another post, declaring his intention to dispatch troops to Moscow to aid President Vladimir Putin in defending Russia against Ukraine.
Now, he assumes the role of head of the country’s defense forces, replacing Gen Wilson Mbadi, who will lead the trade ministry.
Additionally, two of Gen Kainerugaba’s close advisors have been appointed as ministers in the cabinet reshuffle.
The promotion of Gen Kainerugaba has elicited concern from various quarters.
Opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda expressed apprehension, stating that President Museveni was treating Uganda as “a personal enterprise of his family.”
Nganda condemned the appointment, urging Ugandans to resist the establishment of a “family dynasty.”