Uganda's controversial army chief Kainerugaba returns to X

Kainerugaba's abrupt return and the accompanying order come barely a week after Kainerugaba announced his exit from X on Friday, January 10th. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has reactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account just days after announcing his departure from the platform. Kainerugaba announced his return on X on Thursday evening with a simple message: "I'm back!" However, his subsequent post quickly sparked controversy, writing on X: "I give permission from Today for all security agencies to arrest on the spot any NUP or other opposition group wearing anything resembling a military uniform! And those who do not respect this order...have their own problems." I give permission from TODAY for all security agencies to arrest on the Spot any NUP or other opposition group wearing anything resembling a military uniform! And those who do not respect this order...have their own problems. — Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) January 16, 2025 This abrupt return and the accompanying order come barely a week after Kainerugaba announced his exit from X on Friday , January 10th, citing a desire to focus on his military duties as head of the Ugandan People's Defence Forces (UPDF). His previous departure followed a series of controversial posts that had garnered significant attention. In his initial farewell message on January 10th , Kainerugaba described his time on X as a "great whirlwind and rousing journey." He also assured his over one million followers that they would "re-converge" with him "at an appropriate time in the future." Kainerugaba's brief absence and subsequent return, coupled with his controversial pronouncements, continue to generate discussion and debate in Uganda. The order regarding opposition groups wearing military-style attire has raised concerns about freedom of expression and potential for abuse by security forces. ➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.