Da Dona
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has escalated his public confrontation with Minister of Water and Environment Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, saying the minister will be arrested after rejecting calls for him to apologise.
In a series of Posts on X on Friday, Muhoozi first said Otafiire had three days to apologise, before later declaring that “3 days is too long” and that Otafiire would be arrested the following day ”
Muhoozi also described Otafiire as a “nuisance” and said that older people who refuse to respect the current leadership would be sent to an old people’s home.
In another post, Muhoozi said he had spoken to his “great uncle”, Afande Saleh, who had asked him to forgive Otafiire.
What sparked the confrontation?
The dispute began after Otafiire, while addressing Parliament on September 30, criticised the use of violence in resolving political disagreements.
In a series of Posts on X on Friday, Muhoozi first said Otafiire had three days to apologise, before later declaring that “3 days is too long” and that Otafiire would be arrested the following day ”
Muhoozi also described Otafiire as a “nuisance” and said that older people who refuse to respect the current leadership would be sent to an old people’s home.
In another post, Muhoozi said he had spoken to his “great uncle”, Afande Saleh, who had asked him to forgive Otafiire.
What sparked the confrontation?
The dispute began after Otafiire, while addressing Parliament on September 30, criticised the use of violence in resolving political disagreements.
Although Otafiire did not name Muhoozi, the comments came amid wider debate over the role of the military and military leaders in politics.
The following day, during a public lecture at Valley University of Science and Technology in Bushenyi, Otafiire distanced himself from the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), which is led by Muhoozi. He said he could not speak on behalf of an organisation to which he does not belong.
When asked whether he felt safe, Otafiire invoked his history in Uganda's conflicts, saying he had fought Idi Amin and Milton Obote and would rather “die on my feet” than live “on my knees begging.”
The confrontation has since developed into a public exchange between two senior military figures from different generations of Uganda's ruling establishment, with Muhoozi now publicly threatening Otafiire with arrest.
