Finally, we can say, without fear of contradiction, that Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is now running things in Kampala.
Even the blind can see: refer to the overthrow of then powerful speaker, Anita Annet Among, or the safe page to her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa, who got to keep his position. For good measure, throw in the endorsement of current speaker, Jacob M. Oboth-Oboth, and more recently, the abduction of former Lord Mayor, and Dr Kizza Besigye’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago.
It appears his father, Yoweri Museveni, and uncle, Gen. Salim Saleh, have – with some slight reservations admitted Muhoozi’s capture of the running of the state’s affairs after he bullied them to the side. The elderly siblings seem to be procrastinating over the leadership transition decision, something that General Muhoozi appears to have taken matters into his own hands.
And because of this ambivalence, we are seeing Muhoozi exhibiting almost presidential powers. (Of course, Museveni would not endorse some of his son’s actions and bravado, but he finds himself in a tight spot).
But the abduction of lawyer Erias Lukwago shocked the world. We surely know Museveni has lost grip on things, but no one knew exactly how his son planned to ascend to the throne. No one knows how much power he’s willing to exhibit – he is a loquacious typist and exhibitionist – to claim his place in the country as the main man.
Ironically, instead of taking out steam on the people delaying his ascendancy to the throne, he is wasting energy on folks with very little power in this game. Sadly, this process has only dirtied his image.
Does Muhoozi know that Erias Lukwago can neither stop nor give him the presidency? Only his father can. Had I been him (definitely, I’m not him), I would focus on Nakasero, Gulu and Entebbe – not some dingy neighbourhoods in Lugunja or Kira. Of course, he might have his eyes on Nakasero- Entebbe as well.
But what Muhoozi has forgotten is that even when his father ascended to the throne under the auspices of M16, Israel and American intelligence, in the eyes of the people he was a darling. The people never saw M16 or CIA, but a freedom fighter.
His affront was on those who, in the eyes of the people, had abused power. Too bad for Muhoozi that instead of seeking alliance with people who appear in the eyes of the people as their revolutionaries (such as Erias Lukwago, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Medard Ssegona, Joel Ssenyonyi), he has decided to threaten them endlessly.
Raw power alone can never enable one to ascend to power. Muhoozi and co., need to know that Lukwago, Ssemujju, Ssegona might have lost the parliamentary elections, but these people generally remain darlings to fairly big constituencies in the country.
These are some of Kampala’s leading public intellectuals – especially on legal and media matters – whose fame does not come from their political work, but rather excellence in their professions, which include daily interaction with the public.
ALIENATING HIS OWN BASE
If only he knew, Muhoozi would be careful about foreign powers and Uganda – especially Kenya, Rwanda and the United States. In endlessly throwing threats at them – albeit jokingly – he has made himself a top security item for their agencies.
Especially that he often follows through with his threats, surely agencies are watching every step he takes. That bromance with Rwandan president, the other uncle, PK, does not help him at all. If the US came after him, Rwanda would choose not to get involved.
Had he known any better, he would understand that leaders in Kampala are often placements of foreign powers. That we call our leaders “colonial caretakers” is not a joke. It is the truth. This is his old man.
While the strong hand of International and regional actors in enthroning Yoweri Museveni is not public knowledge, but as a family member, he should have been told how important foreign powers were in that moment, and still can be.
But if messing with foreign powers is a small threat, consider that Muhoozi has done enough to dampen the spirits of his supposedly civilian intellectuals. It is not just the local population that Lukwago, Ssenyonyi and Ssemujju represent, but his own PLU base.
I do not know how many times I restarted the X app to see whether Andrew Mwenda, Allan Kasujja, minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, or businesswoman, Jackie Arinda had said anything on the Lukwago abduction. These are perhaps the most eloquent PLU advocates. They were generally mute.
Many NRM and PLU spokespeople and volunteer cadres love the façade of rule of law existing in Uganda. They love the idea that they are able to throw around words such as elections, courts, and constitutionalism to win arguments.
Because power is hidden from public view. But if these things are so blatantly and braggingly thrown out of the window, they are rendered vulnerable. That one of Kampala’s most seasoned advocates would be abducted by the national army for simply seeking to serve a soldier – he does not have immunity – with summonses to court renders Mwenda, Ofwono Opondo, Emmanuel Dombo, Kiwanuka, Kasujja and all of them speechless.
They may not publicly condemn the act, but they are staring at a man whom they love and work for, but one who is surely taking them nowhere.
yusufkajura@gmail.com
The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University.
You are being too naive, Yusuf. I thought you were educated enough to read between the lines. It is not that Museveni and Saleh are powerless. This is exactly how the transition of power to Muhoozi was planned. Muhoozi is acting from an already written script.
Don’t believe me? Look at Parliament. It has already been flooded with Muhoozi loyalists, and they will simply pass any resolution needed to secure his presidency.
Another possible scenario is that Muhoozi is merely diverting attention while power quietly transitions to Saleh. MK hinted at this himself when he said, “I am paving the way for the chosen one — Saleh.”
Museveni is a master planner. He knows exactly what his son is doing, and he agrees with it.
So stop running around saying Museveni would never have sanctioned or approved some of Muhoozi’s actions. Use your brain and analytical skills, if you have any. And yes, I say that fully aware that you have a PhD, because having a PhD does not automatically guarantee that people are analytical in their thinking.
No , Mwami Sserunkuma is far from being too naive. He is a spin doctor doing exactly what that entails
Phd ?!!
What good is it for if it is not applied to underpin the beholders intellectual perceptive ?
There’s no way that Saleh would even want to be a president. He’s happy man in his business and enjoying life in the Northern Uganda-area of his grooming before NRA. Saleh’s leadership approach is far different from Sevos to extent that it almost cost Saleh’s his life. Saleh is damn loved in the army and with civilians…If you remember plane crash in Rwenzori mountains, how Noble Mayombo(RIP) saved Saleh’s life….Museveni plays the game of the master man of the forest to those seeking treasure(gold/power); He ties a rope on a huge tree and hands over the rope to ignorant, excited, self seeker, power greedy individuals telling them to pull, whoever pulls the treasure wins the jackpot. Then he stands a side to watch until they kill each other. Meanwhile, Sevo is in a safe zone watching. Now, the Son is pulling the rope alone until when the father dies then he will find out that it was a lie.
In summary, Muhoozi is too stupid to be the president of Uganda. He breaks the law openly and thinks that raw power alone will get him whatever he wants. He is like a speeding car without brakes racing down a steep slope with Andrew Mewenda, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Allan Kasujja, Kabanda and others riding alongside as passengers.
Doc, your article reads more like a strategic PR manual for Muhoozi than an objective analysis. On one hand, you try to convince us that Muhoozi is acting independently or that the state’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing. That is completely false. Museveni and Salim Saleh are power maniacs; they are 100% behind Muhoozi’s actions in Kampala and are actively engineering this smooth transition of power. The idea that Muhoozi “bullied M7 to the side” or that the elderly siblings are “procrastinating” is a complete myth. Gen. David Sejusa warned us about the “Muhoozi Project” years ago, and your articles have spent years validating and normalizing it.
Furthermore, you heavily contradict yourself. You claim Muhoozi is now fully running Kampala, but then you patronize Erias Lukwago by asking why Muhoozi is wasting energy on someone with “very little power.” Lukwago has immense grassroots legitimacy, yet you dismiss him while rightly acknowledging that only M7 has the power to hand Muhoozi the presidency. By telling Muhoozi he is “dirtying his image” on minor players, you are indirectly advising him on how to better package himself to win over the general public. This article isn’t a critique; it is designed to shove Muhoozi down our throats and offer him advice on how to do it successfully.
Yes , this is yet another one that reads like a PR manual .
Spin Doc Sserunkuma comes off like a coach giving a pep talk to his errant boxer. He is instructing his boxer to hit the head , avoid getting punched out and not to carry on with hitting below the belt.
As every one else with a heart condemns the manner in which Mr.Lukwago was abducted , tortured and humiliated, spin Doc contends himself with naming what we already know .
Not even a 10 year old believes that Mr and Mrs Museveni , their daughters , and members of that family do not know what tyrannical Muhoozi is doing . Its an insult to say that some of the junk he dumps on social media platforms is “albeit jokingly” harmless . Mw. Sserunkuma is propably one of the few who have not yet noticed that those X jokes by Muhoozi are accompanied by sickening actions and weird commentary / images.
I invite Mwami Sserunkuma to adjust his mind and start looking at Muhoozi as the “next ruler” but as the current and future threat to national unity and security .
Mwami Sserunkuma should take time and pay attention to the words that Imam Kasozi offered a few days ago.
If something is wrong , you do not explain it ; you do not justify it ; you do not associate with it; you do not covertly promote or tolerate it; you remove it ; if you cannot remove it , CONDEMN it
So, what is Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba not taking over the family business, run things as he wishes before the eveil father dies of old age in post at +90 years of age?
After all, POWERLESS tribally divided ruled Ugandans are alright being slaves of the immigrant family; look up to them, are doing everything to ensure they own the zone formed by their tribal lands!
How old will Muhoozi Kainerugaba be by the time his dad dies in post of old age?
Remase, thanks.
Ugandan educated are alright with the Rwandese family owning Uganda, while Bobi Wine ensures fake elections to protect Museveni’s family business constitutionally!
Yet, all Ugandans need are;
– ONE National/Common Leader to call for an end to the tribalistic system,
– UNITY, the only POWER needed, to stop the Rwandese family owning the zone formed by their tribal lands!
Ugandans are so so perfect in ensuring they remain slaves of the immigrant family & +40 years seem just the beginning of the family business for them!
Dearest Akot, your assessment of the political elite is entirely accurate. Our educated political elites are not just content with the status quo; they are aloof and despicably selfish. Their only interest is showing off their legal arguments in courts, urging Ugandans to keep recycling fraudulent, violent elections, and keeping the public hooked on false hope.
General Muhoozi’s actions demonstrate that the executive operates completely outside judicial oversight. The transnational abduction of opposition figures like Dr. Kizza Besigye from Kenya highlights this reality. When the Supreme Court attempted to assert constitutional order regarding civilian trials in military courts, President Museveni openly subordinated the judiciary to military command. Fighting this entrenched junta through standard legal frameworks is an exercise in futility.
The recent aggressive security raid on the home of veteran activist Miria Matembe—where operatives breached her property in an apparent abduction attempt—proves definitively that institutional protections do not exist. Despite the overt danger facing all Ugandans, the political elite continue to sustain the status quo. For them, preserving the illusion of an electoral path to change is simply a mechanism to protect their lucrative positions and maintain access to state resources at the expense of true liberation.
No one is safe in Uganda. Yet, our elite opposition politicians keep citizens hooked on false hope because they have “fallen into things.” They are handsomely paid by taxpayers’ money and will gladly sacrifice the country to keep their hands in the cookie jar.
My dearest Betty, look closely at Dr. Sserunkuma’s opening lines. He states, “without fear of contradiction, that Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is now running things in Kampala.” He even adds that “even the blind can see” this reality. This is exactly the outcome the Doc has secretly been wishing for. Yet, he deceptively tries to make us believe that this takeover is happening without the consent or knowledge of Museveni, Salim Saleh, and the family.
What the Doc conveniently hides is the partisan nature of this transition. He points to “the overthrow of then powerful speaker, Anita Annet Among” and the “endorsement of current speaker, Jacob M. Oboth-Oboth,” but he deliberately omits that these are Muhoozi’s PLU party puppets installed to capture Parliament. Now, Muhoozi is plotting to overthrow LoP Joel Ssenyonyi to completely control the legislature. He mentions “the abduction of former Lord Mayor… Erias Lukwago,” but fails to admit we are under raw militant rule. Whether Muhoozi has the official title yet is irrelevant—the “son python” is the new sheriff in town, and Dr. Sserunkuma is quietly celebrating a dream come true.
Dear friend , just like you ( and a great majority in sober minds) I find myself caught in a dilemma of having to show respect to Mw. Sserunkuma`s right to have his own view and placing him in the bin among those others that have pretended to oppose the family rule as a tactic to either be safe and insulated against the brutality of this regime or as a means to accessing the “gains”.
It is almost laughable that Mw.Sserunkuma mentions Erias Lukwago , Merdad Ssegona , Ssemujju Nganda and Joel Ssenyonyi as intellectuals who are darlings of big constituencies in the country , but somehow fails to mention that all of these gentlemen have clearly told Muhoozi what they think of him . In Chinese , they have called him a PAIN .
Once again , I invite Mwami Sserunkuma to make up his mind instead juggling his conscience . My humble opinion is that he has two distinct options : to join Andrew Mwenda , Allan Kasujja and others (Sserunkuma`s selected Ministers under president Muhoozi) or Erias Lukwago , Dr.Besigye , Muwanga Kivumbi , Semujju Nganda , Joel Ssenyonyi , Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and othe “fools” or “baboons” that are on Muhoozi`s hit list .
Mw.Sserunkuma just cannot have it both ways .
Muhoozi can’t and won’t be Ugandan president. Period! He lacks the charisma, leadership skills to even bring the NRM or nation together. First and far-most, he has to go through Hon.Mbabazi, Gen Otafire, Gen Sejusa(quiet and intelligent), the list is long, which is near to impossible. There are sleeping giants in NRM/Uganda that we don’t hear their voices and have scores to settle with Sevo, are quietly watching. Then when you turn to between 80-90% of Ugandans who don’t support Muhoozi, he has no base in Uganda’s future president. He’s Dad’s “boy” not a man ready for any task.
In other words Dr., Dr, Yusuf, the Book of Proverb (Wisdom) 10:1 says:
“A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.”
Is Gen Tibuhaburwa proud of his son Gen MK, over whom he has to apologise because every now-and-then he keeps goofing around with Regional and International relation? E.g., when the rest of the world condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the foolish son praised Bloody Putin.
and Proverb 17:25 says: “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him”.
Including the attempted abduction of Hon Miria Matembe, the foolish son of our 86-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa is busy committing abomination and treason in broad-day-light and night, to supposedly public humiliation of his father.
Unless they are of course his stepparents and/or aunt/uncles, why haven’t these old folks said a word?
In other words e.g., what do the living NRA/M historical like Gen Otafiire and the Mbabazi of this country think about the attempted abduction of Hon Matembe?
Just asking
The annals of history is deplete with parricide.
Over the years, I have seen certain headlines in major papers across Africa as follows
“A FOOL AT 40” – Uganda
“4 STAR BRAT” – Kenya
I guess that sums up this person whose name I’d rather not even waste digital ink on. Now, Ow’endiga is here starting to twist and tip his mental faculties and prowess into endorsement of an already groomed rabid thing … despite years of carefully curated research to create a passage for it? Don’t be fooled by the moment omwana wa ssebo. Perhaps, we could agree if you said this rabid thing’s actions are persistently clouding memory of that shambolic thing of an election in Jan 2026 … you see the persistently high rate at which other developments are coming in has a way of diminishing attention in the human mind when flooded with many things. The mind tends to endear the first horrors and normalizes, while draconizing the latest developments. or at least shift attention per se.
But, will Uganda ever recover from that Jan 2026 day? Will we really see the miracle? Are the true credible people still free or is this a state in rapid decline?
What I see is, every time there seems to be left some memory of the Jan 2026 developments, there will be corresponding action in opposite to try to smarten and endear the dirty thing in the first place and so shift attention.
Between the age between 1yr to 45yrs General Mohoozi was never involved in any known Scandal or threat in Uganda considering his position in the first family . His father wanted him to join the army and he obeyed. He has been one of the most royal and exemplary son a father would wish for. So for him to give turn brutal right now in his fifties is not by mistake, its all part of the plan to rule Uganda in the near future. To rule a country like Uganda its better to be hated than loved especially in the initial stage, President Museveni showed brutality force in his wars in the 70s and early 80s when he earned the respect of his peers. General Mohoozi is building that fearsome reputation and its really good for him in his ambition to become president. The attack against foreign countries is just rhetoric for the gallery just to portary independence just as President Museveni does some time, foreign powers dont really care what you say but what you do. You can always buy Ugandans love by the power of money but they will only respect you when your brutal. Now you have General Muhoozi attention because he has turned brutal. if he remains quiet and nice he will never rule Uganda because he will be stabbed in the back. Even the so called super power countries first use brutal force then talk later democracy and human rights. Its part of the nature of the job of governing human beings.
So Sam. when do you become part his omelet?
From its sleeping stance , an inverted bat thinks its humans that strangely walk upside down .
What a terror and murder PLU supporter!
According to Sam Machiavelli: abominable human rights violation and diabolic crimes against humanity (countrymen, women and children); is to instil fear in the citizenry and later gain respect, is the qualification for becoming the president of Uganda.
If that is/was the case Sam: why did our 86-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, AUTHOR and MASTER OF VIOLENCE, Gen Tibuhaburwa & Co.; accuse Amin and Obote (all RIP) of violation of Human rights and election rigging (swine), etc., and went to the bushes of Luweero?
In other words, in the attempt to demystify violence and the gun, Tibuhaburwa went to Mozambique in the early 70, to practice dehumanising diabolism such as: decapitating the colonial Portuguese’ heads, put and carrying them (bloody) around in bags and showing them to the village folks, as the way to demystify the power of Muzungu.
Sam is also telling Ugandans that: all these years behind the scene, in order to numb his son’s conscience (sense of humanity and compassion), BLOODY Gen Tibuhaburwa would regularly take MK behind the house and demonstrated how wring the neck of live chicken, or torture and slaughter screaming piglets and later graduated to the abduction and torture of human being; e.g., the critical Kakwenza, members of the opposition like Eddie Mutwe of NUP, Hon Elias Lukwago and graduating to abduct and undress Senior Citizens like Hon Dr. Matembe of this country, take them to his basement and teach them Kiswahili.
The President choose the path of the military not humanities for General Muhoozi and General Muhoozi accepted it. In the army you learn the art and science of being brutal, if your expecting compassion from a military officer your dealing with the wrong person. Uganda is still young politically, that it still needs another strong military person to safeguard peace for the ordinary Ugandans, the illusions of democracy can always be managed just as the president has done for the last 40yrs. The politicians both in the opposition and government regardless of the arrests will manage themselves as they have done for the last so many years. Those opposition politicans travel frequently abroad but they actually prefer to be in Uganda because if they were seriously tortured they would have asked for asylum. Lastly having peace is not the same as having freedom. Freedom will be in the future for our grand children. We cant achieve everything in this generation but we can lay a foundation of maintaining peace. We have to be realistic with what we can and can’t achieve, sadly most people’s hate the sound of reality. Our parents never gave us everything but provided an environment to grow, dont expect a government that hardly knows you even exist to give you everything. Most government provide only peace, use it to improve yourself in one way or another.
Sam, you must be a criminal against humanity. No wonder your Gen Museveni had no idea about the Geneva Convention. For 45 years and counting he has been behind all the organized murders, insecurity, subversion and terrorism. From Luweero he has been massacring Ugandans, committed war crimes in greater Northern Uganda, by conscripting child soldiers, whose parents he murdered and their skulls and skeleton he stuck up along the road like cabbages and sugarcane and blamed it on the UNLA or Joseph Kony.
And his son is now abducting innocent Ugandans, and forcefully disappearing them like the Kibalama of this country. In the January election, he told the world that he murdered 22 and wanted Kyagulanyi to be the 23rd one and blamed it on Hon Mwanga Kivuumbi.
And Sam, compared to Namibia, South Africa and Botswana e.g., what is young about a 64-year Independent Uganda? A country does not a need a thousand years to develop.
With the honesty it deserves, a country only need 20 years. And because of that, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and others achieved it without being old.
E.g., in 1986, while your unpopular Gen Tibuhaburwa was jumping over thousands of Ugandans dead bodies to forcefully enter our State House, Singapore was launching it Metro Sub-way mass conveyor public transport.
And yet Singapore and the other South East Asian countries came to Uganda in 1964 to Benchmark the Development plan/programme.
In other words, no country needs to reinvent the wheel of Democracy and economic development. The problem of Uganda is not the democratic political age, but the incompetence, primitivity and barbarism of people like Amin, Mr. M7 and his son of this country.
But Sam, as days follow nights, wait until it is your turn to be abducted and brutalized. That is when there will be no one left to speak up for you.
The boy is already the president in waiting. Right now, Uganda is going through the five stages of denial before acceptance.
With all due respect , you , Sam and Mw.Sserunkuma are totally missing the point. This is not about denial or “hating the sound of reality” , it about Museveni forcing his brutal, tyrannical and mentally unstable son on Uganda. He may be in charge like a slow poison inside of a body cell system . Do we accept this , is the question . If we have to talk about reality and denial , then logic must guide us to probe : who else is in denial against the reality that Ugandans want change and tired of family rule ? What happens when masses reject a Ruler ?
History should teach the wise. Some of us have learnt that rejection lingers until the rejected runs out of time.
People always see things differently. It does not mean that they are wrong simply because they don’t agree with you.
I am sorry if I was not clear.
So you know , I have no problems with different people seeing things differently. This is not to say that I will always agree if I notice that what someone else says ( in my judgement) is not correct. You too disagreed with me because you see things differently .I am not one to come with a one liner saying : “you are wrong ” . When and if I disagree , I will tell you why I do not think you are right.
In this case , my view is that it is not correct to imply or insinuate that ( some) Ugandans are in denial. i.e , that they are not aware that Muhoozi is “already a president in waiting”. This MK project was announced over 16 years ago by Gen.Ssejjusa , Mr.Mike Mukula and others . I can assure you that we know what is happening . We , on this side have noted this imposition and are not willing to accept it , meaning that we are NOT going to take it without resistance or the desire to stop it. Uganda has been that road many times before .
It seems likely that Muhoozi and his Dad are aware of the public resentment and are reacting to that with all sorts of intimidation and underhand activity
Ms Lysol , you may have noticed my one about bats . This was a semantic intended to depict that different people may see things differently all depending on their personal stance. They could both be wrong or right .
From here , I see that it is “president in waiting” that would benefit from your wisdom . Its Muhoozi that does not seem to know that we all can`t think like him or his father , his uncles and his whatever. He is the one who has made thinking without his permission a crime . You are fool an idiot , a baboon , a buffoon if you dare think differently.
To me Sir , this is the issue . Where are we heading to now that we have a new tyrant on our hands ?
The end looks like King Saul, Jonathan and David( Museveni, Muhoozi and Bobi). Saul tried to go after beloved David(Bobi) a singer and creative, God turned King Saul(King Museveni) to fight with Philistines(witches within his regime), he lost his Sons-Jonathan(Muhoozi) 1Samuel 31. So don’t be surprised when you see Museveni burry his own son in tears. When God fight his fights isn’t the way we see it. He goes further into family roots. Worse, when you touch his children(believers), God comes after your own children(unbelievers). If you have watched Muhoozi shaking, scratching his hand, uncomfortable body movements, then it’s a sign of a disease in advance stage. Soon he is going to take cameras and phones away from any gathering.
Jamo, since the son has abominably gone on rampage: abducted Hon Elias Lukwago and on Wednesday afternoon 24th June 2026, moreover up to her bedroom, went after Jajja, Hon Miria Matembe; probably thought she would be having her afternoon nap and grab her from there, BUT so far our 86-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa has said nothing!
In other words, probably overwhelmed by the abomination and scandals, the old man has gone from one function after another, burying his head in the sand and wishing that: what are happening/taking are not taking places.
E.g., when Lukwago was being abducted, the PROBLEM OF AFRICA was burying his head in the sand in Kyankwanzi brainwashing the new Cabinet appointees.
And like common thieves, when the son was scaling the perimeter wall of Hon Metembe to abduct her, the Muzee was busybody burying his head in the Masindi Police Training college, pretending to pass out Stupid Police Constable (SPC).
Closing publicly traded NMG without due process is bad for FDI. It makes clear that capital is not safe in Uganda due to the state of primitive lawlessness displayed by first family.