In a series of provocative tweets, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Commander of the Ugandan Armed Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, made explosive claims about his role in helping Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, rise to prominence in Ugandan politics. Muhoozi’s remarks suggest that the move was part of a strategic effort to diminish the political influence of long-time opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
Besigye, who has contested the presidency against President Museveni on four occasions, has remained a formidable opposition figure, with his most notable challenge coming during the 2016 elections, which were among the closest in Uganda’s history. Despite numerous attempts to unseat Museveni, Besigye’s political resilience has been widely acknowledged, prompting Museveni’s government to explore alternative strategies.
In his tweets, Muhoozi outlined how he and several top military officials had convinced his father, President Museveni, to back Bobi Wine’s rise within the opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP). Muhoozi described this as a calculated effort to “remove Besigye from being the kingpin of the opposition,” a move he claims was successful after significant financial backing helped Bobi Wine gain traction. However, according to Muhoozi, once Bobi Wine achieved political success, he turned on those who had supported him, accusing him of disrespecting the very people who had facilitated his rise.
“It was actually our idea (me and other generals). We convinced Mzee that we can use Kabobi to remove Besigye from being kingpin of the opposition. After we supported him with a lot of money, he succeeded. Then he started abusing us,” Muhoozi wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
Muhoozi also issued a string of hostile warnings to Bobi Wine, referring to him by his nickname, “Kabobi.” In one tweet, he wrote, “The pass we gave Kabobi in 2020-2021 NO LONGER EXISTS!! Even if he runs under which Mzungu’s underpants.” He continued, “Kabobi, I’m going to BEAT the CRAP OUT of you whomever you hide behind! Just utter my name or my family’s name again, and I will break all those monkey teeth of yours!!”
In another post, Muhoozi suggested that if not for the protection offered by his father, Bobi Wine would face even harsher consequences: “Kabobi knows that THE ONLY person protecting him from me is my father. If Mzee was not there, I would cut off his head today!”
Muhoozi concluded his tirade by dismissing Bobi Wine as unqualified for the presidency, labeling him as a “lumpen, illegal, delinquent” who was unfit for office. He also made clear his view that Bobi Wine had never been qualified to challenge for Uganda’s highest office.
The barrage of attacks from Muhoozi on Bobi Wine has raised questions about the state of the opposition in Uganda and the growing tensions within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). Muhoozi’s public remarks underscore a deepening rivalry between the political figures, and his comments may reflect broader internal struggles within the Museveni-led government regarding the future of leadership in the country.
The lead-up to Uganda’s 2026 general elections is already shaping up to be the most contentious in the nation’s democratic history. With Muhoozi’s candidacy for the presidency widely speculated and the opposition’s landscape in flux, political tensions are expected to escalate further in the coming months.
While it remains unclear how much of Muhoozi’s account of events is accurate, the combative nature of his statements signals a new level of political animosity, setting the stage for a potentially volatile 2026 election season.
