KAMPALA, Uganda — The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has hit back at Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president Jimmy Akena following criticism over his recent social media posts.
Akena, who also serves as Lira City East Member of Parliament and is the son of former President Apollo Milton Obote, faulted Gen. Muhoozi for comments he made on X (formerly Twitter) in the aftermath of the disputed January 15 elections.
In his posts, Gen. Muhoozi referenced the killing of what he described as 22 or 30 National Unity Platform (NUP) “terrorists” — remarks that Akena said were inappropriate and unbecoming of a serving Chief of Defence Forces.
“As CDF and son of the President, Gen. Muhoozi carries a greater responsibility to exercise restraint in both his words and actions,” Akena said, arguing that the military must remain professional and non-partisan, especially during politically sensitive periods.
Gen. Muhoozi responded a day later with a sharp rebuke directed at the opposition leader, dismissing Akena’s criticism. His response came amid other announcements he has recently made on social media, including pledges related to development funding and UPDF-led infrastructure repairs in Kampala.
The exchange highlights the increasingly tense political environment in Uganda as the country moves closer to the 2026 general elections. Critics argue that public confrontations between senior military officials and opposition leaders risk deepening political divisions.
Supporters of Gen. Muhoozi, however, defended him, accusing Akena of inconsistency and pointing to UPC’s past cooperation with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Political analysts say the incident reflects the growing influence of social media in shaping Uganda’s political discourse, where statements from high-ranking officials often trigger immediate public debate.
Neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) nor the UPC had issued formal institutional statements beyond the individual remarks by the two leaders at the time of publication.
