Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan strongman President Yoweri Museveni and a general in the Ugandan Army, said on Thursday that his country would send troops to defend Moscow if the Western world goes to war against Russia.
“Call me a ‘Putinist’ if you will, but we, Uganda shall send soldiers to defend Moscow if it’s ever threatened by the Imperialists!” Kainerugaba thundered on Twitter.
“In Africa, we only believe in President Putin when it comes to Eastern Europe. The West is wasting its time with its useless pro-Ukraine propaganda,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Russia, China, Africa, India, and South America shall win in Ukraine. 75% of humanity shall win against 15%,” Kainerugaba declared.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba made these statements on the same weekend he announced the imminent opening of MK TV and Radio, the media wing of his “MK Movement” political organization.
“One of the very first places MK TV shall visit is Russia. We shall have very interesting interviews there,” he pledged.
Kainerugaba said Lt. Col. Chris Magezi, currently director of information for the Ugandan army, would serve as general manager of the TV and radio network. Magezi said he was “profoundly honored” by the appointment.
Independent Africa-focused Black Star News, which is no fan of “Baby Doc” Muhoozi – an insulting nickname for the Ugandan president’s son that compares him to infamous Haitian dictator Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier – described the MK TV rollout as a “lackluster comedy” and noted general manager Maghezi is also information director for senior advisers to President Museveni and holds a seat on the board of directors for the state Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni speaks during the inauguration ceremony for his sixth term at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, Uganda, on May 12, 2021. (BADRU KATUMBA/AFP via Getty Images)
Kainerugaba, 48, is ostensibly retiring from the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) after commanding its special forces troops for most of the past 15 years. He has expressed a desire to run for president in 2026 to succeed his father, who has ruled Uganda since 1986.
Kainerugaba has a reputation for both heavy drinking and heavy Twitter use, which can be an unfortunate combination. In October 2022, Museveni had to apologize to Kenya after Kainerugaba, who had just been promoted to the rank of general by his father, uncorked an epic Twitter rant that included a threat to invade Kenya and capture Nairobi.
In addition to pledging Ugandan troops for the hypothetical defense of Moscow, Kainerugaba’s weekend on social media included a demand to hang homosexuals after giving them “six months to explain themselves before the people,” a vow to make the “imperialists” and “capitalists” pay for killing Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, and some thoughts about the physical unattractiveness of a reporter who criticized him for writing stupid tweets.