The son of Uganda’s president, a prominent general, has warned that citizens who vote against his father in upcoming elections could be deported and has also announced a ban on army women wearing trousers on parade.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also a senior army commander and widely seen as a potential successor to President Yoweri Museveni, made the controversial statements on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
In one post, he cautioned individuals “who do not support Mzee wholeheartedly,” using an honorific for his father, to “be very careful!” He added, “We will deport all the traitors in public view!!”
Uganda is due to hold a general election next January, and there have been reports of an increasing crackdown on opposition figures in recent months.
General Kainerugaba, known for his often inflammatory social media presence, also appeared to take responsibility for the alleged torture of an opposition figure’s bodyguard. He posted that he took “FULL responsibility” for the actions of his soldiers, “including the long overdue beating of Eddie Mutwe,” a bodyguard for opposition leader Bobi Wine. He referred to the assault as “an appetizer!”
Earlier this month, Justice Minister Norbert Mao had stated that Mr. Mutwe showed signs of torture when he appeared in court.
In a separate post on Thursday, General Kainerugaba declared that women serving in the Ugandan military would henceforth march in skirts. “Trousers are for men, not for women,” he wrote, warning that “Anyone who forces our sisters to put on trousers on parade again will have a very bad day.”
According to local media, women make up a small fraction of the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and are typically issued the same daily uniform as their male colleagues, though they are permitted to wear skirts for formal occasions.
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