The latest developments surrounding General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Uganda, involve his summons by the Ugandan Parliament due to his controversial posts on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The Defence and Internal Affairs Committee of the Ugandan Parliament has refused to consider the budget proposals for the Ministry of Defence & Veteran Affairs until General Muhoozi Kainerugaba appears in person to address his tweets.
This decision was made following several controversial posts by Muhoozi, including threats against opposition leaders like Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) and Dr. Kizza Besigye.
General Muhoozi has defiantly responded to the summons, stating he will not appear before what he referred to as “parliamentary clowns” and even threatened to arrest committee members.
He said, “I WILL NEVER appear before parliamentary CLOWNS! Instead, I will ARREST them all!”
His comments have been interpreted as a significant challenge to the oversight role of Parliament, raising concerns about an “institutional breakdown.”
The committee, chaired by Makindye East MP Derrick Nyeko, has explicitly demanded Muhoozi’s presence to discuss the implications of his social media activity on Uganda’s image and governance.
The committee has accused Muhoozi of making reckless public statements, which they believe undermines the professional and apolitical nature expected of military leaders.
The Minister of Defence, Jacob Oboth, has distanced the ministry from Muhoozi’s X posts, describing them as personal views.
However, this explanation did not satisfy the committee, leading to a directive for the ministry officials to ensure Muhoozi appeared before the committee on the following Monday at 9:00 AM.
There’s a mix of reactions on social media and among political analysts. Some see this as a test of civil-military relations in Uganda, questioning the balance of power and the deference of military figures to civilian oversight.
Others view Muhoozi’s actions as part of a broader pattern of behaviour where he uses social media to assert political influence, potentially in preparation for a future leadership role.
This situation highlights the ongoing tension between Uganda’s military leadership and its parliamentary oversight, spotlighting issues of governance, freedom of expression, and military involvement in politics.
I WILL NEVER appear before parliamentary CLOWNS! Instead I will ARREST them all! https://t.co/ljiktLRYA8
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) January 17, 2025