Uganda: 'You Will Never Make Us Your Slaves,' Muhoozi Tells U.S. Senator Risch

Nairobi — Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, fired back at U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch over remarks suggesting that Uganda had crossed a "red line" in its military cooperation with the United States.

The controversy erupted after Gen. Muhoozi on January 30 claimed on social media that Uganda would suspend military cooperation with the U.S., alleging that opposition leader Bobi Wine had "kidnapped himself" with support from the U.S. Embassy.

"My name is not 'Commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba.' My name is General Muhoozi Kainerugaba," he said in a statement.

"What 'red line' have I crossed according to you? You can re-evaluate whatever you want as far as our co-operation is concerned, but you will never demean and degrade us. You will never make us your slaves."

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Risch had earlier said that Gen. Muhoozi's recent actions had forced the U.S. to reconsider its security partnership with Uganda, which includes military cooperation and sanctions.

"The president's son, and likely successor, cannot just delete tweets and issue hollow apologies. The U.S. will not tolerate this level of instability and recklessness when American personnel, U.S. interests, and innocent lives in the region are at stake," Risch stated.

The posts were later deleted, and Gen. Muhoozi issued an apology.

"I want to apologise to our great friends, the United States, for my earlier tweets that I have now deleted. I was being fed with wrong information," he said, adding that military cooperation with Washington, including joint operations in Somalia, would continue as usual.

He credited Uganda's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare, for helping defuse tensions.

Gen. Muhoozi has also faced criticism for inflammatory posts on social media, including claims that security forces killed 22 alleged opposition "terrorists" and issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for Bobi Wine to surrender, warning that failure to do so would result in him being treated as an outlaw.

Despite the controversy, Gen. Muhoozi confirmed that Uganda's military ties with the U.S. remain intact.

"I have spoken with the U.S. Ambassador to our country, and everything is okay. We are going to continue our military cooperation as usual," he said.