General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has demanded that U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, William Popp, apologize to the President or leave the country. In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), Muhoozi accused the U.S. envoy of disrespecting Museveni and undermining Uganda’s constitution.
Muhoozi set a strict deadline, insisting that if the ambassador does not apologize by Monday, October 6, for what he described as “violating diplomatic norms in our country,” he will be asked to leave Uganda. Muhoozi’s comments came on Friday, October 4, igniting discussions on the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.
In his statement, General Muhoozi, who also serves as the Commander of Uganda’s Land Forces, expressed concern about recent U.S. actions targeting the government led by President Museveni, who has been in power for 38 years.
He emphasized that Uganda holds no grudge against the U.S. and even stated that it is a nation they admire. However, he accused the U.S. of actively undermining the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, which has ruled Uganda since 1986.
Muhoozi warned that anyone foolish enough to challenge Uganda on its own soil would face severe consequences. He went on to say that Uganda would fight back harder than Afghanistan did, invoking the historical sacrifices of Ugandan leaders who fought for independence.
As of Saturday afternoon, the U.S. government had not officially responded to General Muhoozi’s controversial remarks.
The tensions arise just one week after the U.S. imposed sanctions on former Ugandan police and military officers. The U.S. government accused these individuals of gross human rights violations.
The sanctions were imposed on October 2, targeting former police officers Bob Kagarura, Alex Mwine, Elwelu Womanya, and Hamdani Twesigye. The U.S. government specifically mentioned Elwelu’s involvement in extrajudicial killings carried out by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers. Other individuals were sanctioned over alleged corruption.
Uganda’s government strongly condemned the U.S. sanctions, calling them “unacceptable oppression.”
Ugandan diplomatic officials continue to emphasize that Uganda’s relationship with the U.S. has been stable for over 60 years. In September 2023, President Museveni officially received Ambassador Popp’s credentials, welcoming him as the U.S. envoy to Uganda. However, Museveni has recently criticized Western nations, including the U.S., for their stance on various issues.
Diplomats are subject to international laws under the Vienna Convention, which Uganda can invoke to expel diplomats. Article 9 of the Vienna Convention allows a host country to declare a diplomat persona non grata without providing specific reasons, giving Uganda the legal right to demand the ambassador’s departure.
