Museveni son rejects claim he plans to succeed his father

Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba of the Uganda People's Defense Force before he became a major-general. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Muhoozi Kainerugaba called allegation a red herring.

KAMPALA, Wednesday

The son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, has rejected a claim that he plans to succeed his father.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, speaking today after he was promoted from brigadier to major-general heading the Special Forces Command, said he was happy with being in the military, the government-owned New Vision newspaper said.

He called a claim by opposition supporters that Museveni was grooming him to take over a red herring.

A former intelligence chief turned government critic David Sejusa fled into exile in Britain in 2013 after a confidential memo he wrote was leaked to the press, causing a political storm.

The memo said Museveni was preparing Muhoozi to succeed him and that those in the army opposed to the supposed plan risked being assassinated.

Muhoozi, 42, and who trained at Britain’s military academy Sandhurst, dismissed the reports of a plan to push him into power as non-existent.

The Daily Monitor newspaper however said many Ugandans had long-simmering suspicions he will take over the reins of power once Museveni leaves.