Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has apologized to Kenya after his son, a general threatened to attack and take over the neighbouring country’s capital in two weeks.
“I ask our Kenyan brothers and sisters to forgive us for General Muhoozi’s tweets,” Museveni said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that public officials should not meddle in the affairs of other countries.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 48, is an outspoken social media user who frequently spars with opposition leaders and weighs in on politics. He later stated that the remarks concerning Kenya were made in jest.
“I know for a fact that General Muhoozi is a passionate Pan-Africanist,” the president said. “However, the correct method for Pan-Africanists is confidential interactions or using the available [forums].”
Uganda’s opposition and analysts have long suspected that Museveni, 78, who has ruled the country since 1986, is preparing his son to take over when he retires.
“It wouldn’t take us, my army and me, 2 weeks to capture Nairobi,” he wrote.
Following a nearly two-year spat between his father and President Paul Kagame, the general was instrumental in reestablishing relations between Uganda and neighbouring Rwanda this year.
Kainerugaba was replaced as commander of land forces on Tuesday after a series of tweets advocating that Uganda and Kenya abandon their colonial borders and unify.
At the same time, Kainerugaba was upgraded to the rank of four-star general to recognize his excellent efforts, Museveni said, adding that he had discussed the situation with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto.
Kenyans were outraged by Kainerugaba’s social media tweets this week, prompting Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry to issue a statement requesting Nairobi to dismiss his remarks.
