Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has removed his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as commander of Uganda’s land forces, the military said on Tuesday.
This was after Kainerugaba repeatedly threatened on Twitter to invade neighbouring Kenya.
Kainerugaba, widely regarded as the de facto head of the military and his father’s chosen successor, later said the comments were made in jest. He posted on Twitter:
It wouldn’t take us, my army and me, 2 weeks to capture Nairobi (Kenya’s capital).
Union is a MUST! No honourable men can allow these artificial, colonial borders anymore. If we our generation has men then these borders must fall!.
The military issued a statement announcing his replacement as land forces commander saying Kainerugaba had been promoted from lieutenant general to full general and would remain a senior presidential adviser for special operations. It gave no reason for the decision.
On Tuesday, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement pledging its “peaceful co-existence” with neighbouring Kenya. Without mentioning Kainerugaba, the statement read in part:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted the debate on social media in respect to the relationship between Uganda and Kenya. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify that the government of the Republic of Uganda does not conduct its foreign policy and other official business through social media.
A Kenyan government spokesman said he had not read Uganda’s statement and would respond later.
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday issued an apology to the recently elected president of Kenya, William Ruto over the matter.
This is happening when there has been reciprocal violence between pastoralist groups in the Kenyan-Ugandan border region due to livestock raiding and competition for water and pastures.
More frequent and severe droughts as well as the accumulation of weapons from war-torn neighbouring countries are further worsening this situation.