I have been reading on several social media platforms how a few cliques of selfish individuals have been attacking Gen. Muhoozi, calling him all sorts of names, including a drunkard, a poorly brought-up son, a madman, a fool, among many others. But to me, I am in the group of many Ugandans who know the importance of having Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba in this country.
Yes, he could have, at some point, moved beyond his line, but we must ask ourselves why he chose to be like that. Any peace-loving Ugandan will agree with me that putting Ugandans in order is one of the most difficult things compared to other regions.
Without considering that he is the President’s son, Gen. Muhoozi feels a lot of pain seeing how ordinary people in Uganda are living in extreme poverty. I get disturbed because whenever Gen. Muhoozi comes out as a true Ugandan to fight against anything affecting the civilian population, a section of Ugandans quickly criticizes him, calling him all sorts of ugly names.
When Gen. Muhoozi, through consultations with President Museveni, ordered investigations into the alleged illicit enrichment of the former Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, some Ugandans complained a lot, attributing the arrest of Among to tribalism. Yet they are the same people who have been accusing the ruling government of failing to fight corruption.
What Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is currently doing in the country is jumpstarting a nation that had taken the leadership of Papa Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for granted.
People could steal money and then go and apologize to Mzee, who would later forgive them, while the majority of Ugandans faced challenges of drug shortages in government health facilities.
They could steal road funds and use other people close to the President to pardon them. They could steal operational fuel, causing the unnecessary deaths of our soldiers. But all that has ended with Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Instead of criticizing and undermining the efforts of Gen. Muhoozi, we should join him in feeling the pain that poor Ugandans are experiencing as a result of corruption in this country.
Long live Gen. Muhoozi. Long live Mzee Kaguta.
The writer is a senior veteran journalist.
