Gen Muhoozi Keinerugaba turns down calls to join active Politics

It started with a video clip in which veteran Journalist and NRM’s new convert, Basajja Mivule made a clarion call to President Museveni to retire his son, Lt. Gen Muhoozi Keinerugaba from the army so that he can join active politics and succeed him as head of state.

In the video, Mivule appeals to Museveni to let his son embark on groundwork and mobilization for civilian support in preparation to contest for presidency in 2026. He says Muhoozi should be immediately deployed on Museveni’s campaign team to enable him utilize the 2021 election campaigns to canvass support for his presidential bid.

Mivule contends that since the opposition, specifically the National Unity Platform (NUP) are planning to field Robert Kyagulanyi as president and several of his close relatives in various positions of leadership, there is no reason why Gen Muhoozi should wait. He (Mivule) said he is ready to support Muhoozi for president of Uganda come 2026.

Mivule’s call was quickly supplemented by Cedric Babu -the youthful NRM flagbearer for Kampala Central parliamentary seat who assured Muhoozi of popular support in civilians across the country.

In response, Muhoozi said he is bound by the Army code of conduct which bars serving army officers from active politics.

“I congratulate my brother Basajja Mivule for shunning tribalism and appreciating the fact that Uganda’s diverse ethnic groupings is a positive attribute. In addition, as a serving army officer, I owe total allegiance to the Commander in Chief -Gen Museveni” Muhoozi tweeted back.

A once sharp critic of president Museveni and the NRM government, Basajja Mivule recently announced his change of heart and vowed to support Museveni for president in the upcoming general elections. He also castigated the opposition National Unity Platform as a band of hooligans who do not deserve a vote into power.

Mivule, who for many years chose to pursue a tribal card to discredit 35 years of Museveni’s government also made a public confession that he had errored and apologized for the remarks he usually made in relation to “real power” being in hands of one ethnic group.