KAMPALA — Uganda's army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the arrest of at least a dozen generals and senior officers over the past 15 months. The crackdown, led by the 52-year-old son of President Yoweri Museveni, has created unrest within the military's top ranks.
The arrests coincide with rising political tensions regarding who will succeed President Museveni, who has governed Uganda for four decades. Gen. Kainerugaba is widely considered a potential successor, though his presidential ambitions appear to face internal resistance within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
This week, Gen. Kainerugaba directly threatened Vice-President Jessica Alupo with dismissal and potential arrest. He also suggested he should assume her position, escalating public discourse around his political aspirations.
The NRM has denied reports that its senior leadership rejected a proposal to back Gen. Kainerugaba for president. The party described these claims as "completely false" in a statement.
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong Awany confirmed on Thursday that the party met on Nov. 10 to address "political, social and economic issues." Awany dismissed reports that the meeting specifically rejected Gen. Kainerugaba's presidential proposal, stating the party would announce decisions "through the right channel, at the right time."
Despite the NRM's official stance, the AFP news agency reported that a recent closed-door meeting of the party's top leadership concluded without agreement on a proposal to position Gen. Kainerugaba as President Museveni's successor. Five party sources who attended the meeting told AFP that a vote on the proposal was abandoned after several members voiced opposition.
Observers offer differing interpretations of the arrests. Some speculate the detentions are part of an effort to sideline military officers who oppose Gen. Kainerugaba's presidential ambitions. Others view the arrests as evidence of an anti-corruption initiative aimed at holding senior commanders accountable.
Dr. Gerald Bareebe, a political scientist at York University in Canada, said senior officers believed to oppose Gen. Kainerugaba have faced arrest, detention, or charges of corruption and treason. He said the allegations against some officers are widely seen as politically motivated, reflecting deepening divisions within the military over the succession.
Some of the detained officers have been released after securing the army chief's forgiveness, according to sources familiar with the situation.
