Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has appointed his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the country’s army commander, a move that is likely to fuel speculation that the president is grooming his eldest child to succeed him.
Gen Kainerugaba has been serving as a senior presidential adviser in charge of special operations after his father removed him as commander of the army’s land forces in 2022.
He was promoted to his new post late on Thursday, in a cabinet reshuffle that saw five ministers sacked.
He takes over from Gen Wilson Mbadi who has been named as trade minister.
Two of Gen Kainerugaba’s closest advisers were named ministers in the new changes announced by President Museveni.
Embattled Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, who is facing corruption charges involving the theft of thousands of metal roofing sheets, was dropped from her post.
Lt Gen Samuel Okiding was named as the deputy army chief in the new appointments. He replaced Gen Peter Elwelu, whom Mr Museveni named as one of his senior advisers.
Gen Kainerugaba has recently been holding rallies around the country, with his critics saying this was in breach of the military’s code of discipline.
In power since 1986, Mr Museveni has long been suspected of grooming the 49-year-old general to succeed him to entrench what critics call monarchic rule in Uganda.
But Mr Museveni has dismissed this speculation.
Uganda is set to hold general elections in 2026.