By: Manoah Kikekon
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| General Muhoozi Kainerugaba |
The political landscape in Uganda shifted from the streets to the digital frontlines this week as General Muhoozi Kainerugaba sparked a diplomatic firestorm.
On Friday, the General who serves as the president’s presumptive heir shocked observers by announcing on social media that the Ugandan army would suspend all cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Kampala.
However, in a move that has become a hallmark of his online presence, Muhoozi deleted the post just an hour later, claiming he had been "fed with wrong information." This erratic digital diplomacy has left international observers wary and local tensions at a breaking point.
Meanwhile, the man at the center of the military’s crosshairs, Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi), remains in hiding following a presidential election he describes as "blatant theft." Despite President Yoweri Museveni securing a seventh term, Wine’s influence appears undiminished.
From an undisclosed location, Wine taunted the military on Monday, stating, "The whole army is looking for one person but they have failed to find me. That means they’re not as strong as they tell you." He further urged his followers to resist through all legal means, challenging the government's branding of his movement as an "outlaw" organization.
The rhetoric from the Museveni camp has turned increasingly violent. General Muhoozi recently boasted about his forces killing 30 supporters and arresting 2,000 others since the election, even issuing a direct threat to "hunt down and kill" Wine.
While Muhoozi took responsibility for a recent raid on Wine’s home an event Wine's wife says resulted in her assault he continues to dismiss the opposition leader with derogatory labels, calling him a "baboon" and a "terrorist." These inflammatory comments, often posted and then deleted, have raised serious concerns regarding the professional conduct of the military leadership.
As the hunt for Bobi Wine intensifies, the atmosphere in Uganda remains incredibly fragile. Civil society groups and citizens fear that any direct physical harm to Wine could serve as a flashpoint for widespread civil unrest. With the General’s "tweet-and-delete" strategy creating a sense of instability at the highest levels of command, the international community is closely watching to see if the war of words will escalate into further bloodshed on the ground.