So taken is Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba with Italy’s populist prime minister that in 2022 he offered 100 Ankole cattle – “the most beautiful cows on Earth” – in exchange for her hand in marriage, warning of war if his proposal was rejected.
Italy is not the only country the general has threatened when, late of an evening, he has settled behind a screen and opened up his page on X.
He has used the social media platform to rail against the United States, which gives Uganda $1 billion in aid a year, voiced support for Ethiopia’s rebels and unveiled plans to invade neighbouring Kenya.
Even more worrying for Western diplomats fretting about the trajectory of a potential Kainerugaba presidency is his fondness for strongmen, particularly Putin.
Although he has heaped praise on Egypt’s military dictator, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and described Donald Trump as “the only white man I have ever respected”, Gen Kainerugaba has reserved his deepest devotion for “our Russian hero”.
Giving his full-throated support to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, he has even pledged to send troops to Moscow to defend it from Western “imperialists”.
Such outbursts are to the despair of Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s ageing president, who has been forced to expend considerable diplomatic capital apologising to world leaders for the general’s buckshot pronouncements.
Had anybody else in Uganda been responsible for such indiscretions, they would surely be out of a job.
But Gen Kainerugaba, who claims to be a descendent of Jesus Christ, is not just any Ugandan.
He is also Mr Museveni’s much-indulged only son and, so it has long been whispered, his chosen successor – a belief given renewed impetus in March when the Sandhurst-educated general was appointed head of Uganda’s armed forces.
With Mr Museveni turning 80 on Sunday, a milestone that will bring the atmosphere of decay surrounding his 38-year presidency into renewed relief, many inside and outside Uganda are aghast at the prospect of a Kainerugaba presidency.
He has done little to assuage fears that he is a dictator in the making.
Declaring that he will “definitely” be president, he wrote in one post: “Constitution? Rule of law? You must be joking!”
Inevitable parallels have been made with Idi Amin, the jovially brutal, Hitler-loving Ugandan dictator who proclaimed himself “Conqueror of the British Empire”, kept his enemies’ heads in his freezer and oversaw the slaughter of perhaps 300,000 people.
Amid the unease, the only party that seems enthused is Russia.
Last month, a Russia defence ministry delegation handed over a $100 million (£76 million) “donation” to Gen Kainerugaba for the Ugandan armed forces.
Russia’s influence has grown in Africa in recent years, with Kremlin-backed mercenaries being deployed to protect military dictators in an array of former French colonies.
Putin, however, has struggled to gain a similar foothold in former British colonies and will regard Uganda as a tantalising opportunity to exploit.
For Uganda’s Western donors there is dismay that an ageing autocrat once regarded as the continent’s most promising leader is contemplating an erratic, verbally incontinent popinjay as his successor.
Wow, sounds like Hardman is already practicing for his role as a dictator. Can’t wait to see him put his love for Putin into action in Uganda! Maybe he’ll even get Meloni to be his first lady.
legendsking on
Basically another strongman dictator in Africa.
Javerage on
Dangit General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, white people aren’t pandas at a zoo! You can’t just pair em up together like that.
8 Comments
**From The Telegraph’s Adrian Bloomfield in Nairobi:**
When he is not busy fawning over [Vladimir Putin](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/13/moscow-british-diplomats-expelled-russia-ukraine-zelensky/), the army chief aiming to be Uganda’s next president has spent a good deal of time salivating over [Giorgia Meloni](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/06/08/why-europe-is-listening-to-giorgia-meloni-italy-eu/).
So taken is Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba with Italy’s populist prime minister that in 2022 he offered 100 Ankole cattle – “the most beautiful cows on Earth” – in exchange for her hand in marriage, warning of war if his proposal was rejected.
Italy is not the only country the general has threatened when, late of an evening, he has settled behind a screen and opened up his page on X.
He has used the social media platform to rail against the United States, which gives Uganda $1 billion in aid a year, voiced support for Ethiopia’s rebels and unveiled plans to invade neighbouring Kenya.
Even more worrying for Western diplomats fretting about the trajectory of a potential Kainerugaba presidency is his fondness for strongmen, particularly Putin.
Although he has heaped praise on Egypt’s military dictator, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and described Donald Trump as “the only white man I have ever respected”, Gen Kainerugaba has reserved his deepest devotion for “our Russian hero”.
Giving his full-throated support to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, he has even pledged to send troops to Moscow to defend it from Western “imperialists”.
Such outbursts are to the despair of Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s ageing president, who has been forced to expend considerable diplomatic capital apologising to world leaders for the general’s buckshot pronouncements.
Had anybody else in Uganda been responsible for such indiscretions, they would surely be out of a job.
But Gen Kainerugaba, who claims to be a descendent of Jesus Christ, is not just any Ugandan.
He is also Mr Museveni’s much-indulged only son and, so it has long been whispered, his chosen successor – a belief given renewed impetus in March when the Sandhurst-educated general was appointed head of Uganda’s armed forces.
With Mr Museveni turning 80 on Sunday, a milestone that will bring the atmosphere of decay surrounding his 38-year presidency into renewed relief, many inside and outside Uganda are aghast at the prospect of a Kainerugaba presidency.
He has done little to assuage fears that he is a dictator in the making.
Declaring that he will “definitely” be president, he wrote in one post: “Constitution? Rule of law? You must be joking!”
Inevitable parallels have been made with Idi Amin, the jovially brutal, Hitler-loving Ugandan dictator who proclaimed himself “Conqueror of the British Empire”, kept his enemies’ heads in his freezer and oversaw the slaughter of perhaps 300,000 people.
Amid the unease, the only party that seems enthused is Russia.
Last month, a Russia defence ministry delegation handed over a $100 million (£76 million) “donation” to Gen Kainerugaba for the Ugandan armed forces.
Russia’s influence has grown in Africa in recent years, with Kremlin-backed mercenaries being deployed to protect military dictators in an array of former French colonies.
Putin, however, has struggled to gain a similar foothold in former British colonies and will regard Uganda as a tantalising opportunity to exploit.
For Uganda’s Western donors there is dismay that an ageing autocrat once regarded as the continent’s most promising leader is contemplating an erratic, verbally incontinent popinjay as his successor.
**Article Link:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/15/uganda-next-president-putin-trump-meloni-dictator/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/15/uganda-next-president-putin-trump-meloni-dictator/)
So, Hardman likes strongman.
To be fair, Ankola cows look pretty cool.
Wow, sounds like Hardman is already practicing for his role as a dictator. Can’t wait to see him put his love for Putin into action in Uganda! Maybe he’ll even get Meloni to be his first lady.
Basically another strongman dictator in Africa.
Dangit General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, white people aren’t pandas at a zoo! You can’t just pair em up together like that.
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
>full-throated support to Putin
So that’s what it’s called