President Yoweri Museveni has fired his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the commander of Land Forces, a day after he caused a diplomatic storm when he threatened to capture Kenya within two weeks. After dropping him, he promoted him to General, the highest rank in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).
Muhoozi is replaced by Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the current commander of Operation Shujaa who has since been promoted to Lt Gen, according to a statement from the UPDF. Muhoozi announced through his official handle, @mkainerugaba that he was on a mission to raze colonial borders and capture Nairobi.
The tweets which covered feeds since last evening sparked an online rage between Ugandans and Kenyans. Early this afternoon, the ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement reaffirming that Uganda treasures the existing strong bilateral relations between Uganda and Kenya based on the shared history between the two countries, common values, mutual respect, trust and the desire to build a unified East African Community.
The ministry added that the government of Uganda does not conduct its foreign policy and other official business through social media nor depend on social media sources in dealing with other sovereign governments.
While the discussion ensued, Muhoozi tweeted that he had held a discussion with his father Museveni and informed him that the younger East Africans have decided to make East Africa one nation. He however added that they had agreed on some changes, which would be announced later in the day.
“…Had a good discussion with my great father this morning. Apparently, my tweets scared Kenyans too much. He will announce the changes. There is a special prayer I shall make for our army,” Muhoozi said.
He added that during the discussion, he told his father that the younger East Africans have decided that they will be one nation and no amount of threats will stop them from that goal. Muhoozi has since edited his Twitter handle and removed the position of commander of Land forces. He has now replaced it with senior presidential advisor/special operations. It is not the first time Muhoozi's tweets are setting him on a clashing path with his father.
In April this year, during Muhoozi's birthday celebrations which were attended by Rwanda President Paul Kagame, Museveni publicly attacked his son and said his tweets might cause diplomatic troubles with other countries. President Kagame offered to edit Muhoozi's tweets before he posts.
Although Ugandans took Muhoozi's tweets about capturing Kenya as a joke, a large section of Kenyans seem to have taken them seriously with several politicians calling on President William Ruto, a close ally with Museveni to make a statement. Ruto brushed the tweets off and said they were the usual jokes Muhoozi usually makes on Twitter. After his sacking, Muhoozi has instead accelerated his Kenya tweets. - URN/The Observer
