Uganda’s army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, threatened Tuesday to hunt down and kill opposition leader Bobi Wine. Wine, a singer-turned-politician, has been in hiding since losing last week’s election amid accusations of police raids on his home.
Kainerugaba, 51, is the son of newly re-elected President Yoweri Museveni, who won a seventh term at the age of 81. The opposition denounced the vote as a “sham,” while Kainerugaba returned to provocative online postings shortly after election results were announced.
“We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week,” Kainerugaba wrote on X, referring to Wine’s National Unity Platform supporters. “I’m praying the 23rd is Kabobi,” he added, using a nickname for Wine, further escalating tensions across Uganda.
Wine condemned the threats and demanded that the military leave his compound, warning that “my wife and people are not safe.” Kainerugaba gave Wine 48 hours to surrender, warning he would be treated as an outlaw and “handled accordingly” if he did not.
Many Ugandans view Kainerugaba as a likely successor to Museveni, celebrating his bold statements and confrontational style online. “He is my next president. He is a good man. I love him so much,” said 25-year-old supporter Natasha Alinitwe in Kampala.
Museveni, a former guerrilla fighter who seized power in 1986, has long been preparing for a possible succession by his son. Kainerugaba has studied at foreign military academies, including Britain’s prestigious Sandhurst, and became army chief in March 2024.
Analysts say his appointment was intended to curb his political ambitions after a 2023 announcement to run for president. Discussion of succession remains sensitive in Uganda, with media outlets previously shut down for reporting on “Project Muhoozi,” a supposed roadmap for his rise.
Observers describe Kainerugaba as a “loose cannon,” whose radical and unpredictable statements complicate the succession debate in Kampala. Museveni’s brother, Salim Saleh, is occasionally viewed as an alternative successor, despite past allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
UNAIDS director Winnie Byanyima said Museveni’s moves, including opposition crackdowns, aim to extend his rule through his son. The coming weeks are expected to be decisive in determining whether Kainerugaba consolidates power or if alternative factions gain influence. With tension mounting and threats of violence, Uganda faces a politically charged period that could shape the country’s leadership for decades.