Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba told UPC president Jimmy Akena to “shut up” after Akena criticised his conduct and social media posts as embarrassing and unfit for a presidential hopeful.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has told Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president Jimmy Akena to keep quiet.
“Shut up Akaana Akena!” Gen Kainerugaba posted on X.
The remarks followed criticism from Akena, the son of former president Milton Obote, who publicly rebuked the army chief. He urged him to “grow up” and restrain what he described as reckless and embarrassing conduct from the Office of the CDF.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Akena criticised the army chief and First Son. He described the social media posts as “an embarrassment” to all Ugandans.
“CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba, please grow up. The responsibility which you want to assume as the president of the republic cannot be accompanied by this sort of behaviour,” he said.
“The sort of attitude and statements that have been coming out of the Office of the CDF is an embarrassment to all of us as Ugandans.”
“How can you talk about torturing or killing a person who stood in a presidential election and had the backing of over 2million Ugandans, a leader of a party which has representation in the parliament of Uganda, and you want to treat that person like some sort of punk. If no one will, I will be the one to call you out, Muhoozi; please grow up!
Gen Muhoozi, who serves as Uganda’s army chief, is widely seen as a key figure in the country’s political landscape. He has faced both domestic and international criticism for inflammatory social media statements.
After the election, his posts sparked a diplomatic dispute. He suggested suspending military cooperation with the United States and accused the US Embassy of supporting opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. He later apologised and deleted the posts after diplomatic engagement.
His social media activity also included claims that security forces had killed “22 NUP terrorists”, a derogatory term for members of the main opposition party, and suggestions that Bobi Wine might be next.
The remarks heightened fears of a violent crackdown and drew condemnation from rights groups and opposition figures.
