Arrests of generals and threat to vice-president fuel Uganda succession tensions over president's son

Tensions over succession in Uganda are growing around army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The 52-year-old general, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, has signalled his intention to run for president in the next elections. Museveni has ruled Uganda for four decades, so the question of who will succeed him is now creating divisions in both the military and the ruling party.

At least a dozen generals and senior officers have been arrested over the past 15 months, according to reports. An investigation by Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper said the detentions have taken place since April 2025. Those detained include three former military intelligence chiefs who once oversaw some of Uganda's most sensitive security operations.

The dispute became more public this week when Kainerugaba threatened Vice-President Jessica Alupo with dismissal and possible arrest, while suggesting he should take her position. On the night of 9 November, he wrote on X that whoever held that office should prepare to hand it over soon. He later deleted the posts. In them, he questioned Alupo's loyalty and said the government would operate on military terms if he became his father's deputy.

The following day, Kainerugaba's X account, which had nearly 1.4 million followers, became inaccessible. It was unclear whether he deactivated it himself or the platform suspended it. Alupo remains in office and has yet to respond publicly.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) rejected reports that its senior leadership had rejected a proposal to back Kainerugaba as the next president, describing the claims as completely false. In a statement on Thursday, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong Awany confirmed the party had met on 10 November to discuss political, social and economic issues. He said the party would communicate any decisions through the right channel, at the right time.

The AFP news agency, however, reported that the closed-door meeting ended without agreement on a proposal to position Kainerugaba as Museveni's successor. Five party sources who attended told AFP that a vote was abandoned after several members spoke against the proposal. Uganda's news website ChimpReports said most members who spoke backed the general's potential presidency, although some questioned his readiness for civilian leadership.

The most prominent detention is that of former deputy army chief Lt Gen Peter Elwelu. He was detained on 2 November over allegations that he had plotted to destabilise the eastern Teso region. Before that, Kainerugaba accused Elwelu on X of treachery, announced he had been stripped of his three-star rank and demoted to private, and claimed more than 20 soldiers linked to Elwelu had been arrested.

The army later confirmed Elwelu's detention, saying they had recovered 15 guns, military uniforms and two pickup trucks linked to him. His family has rejected the allegations. Ugandan media reported that military regulations do not allow a senior officer to be stripped of his rank through a social media post, raising legal questions about the announcement.

Other detained officers include Maj Gen James Birungi, a former head of defence intelligence and security. He was arrested in August 2025 on allegations including treason, terrorism and corruption, was charged before a military court, and was later released after Kainerugaba announced he had forgiven him. Another former intelligence chief, Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, was detained in September this year over allegations of providing false intelligence and treachery; according to the Daily Monitor, he remains in detention. His predecessor, Brig-Gen Charles Bakahumura, was also arrested in September over similar allegations, but was later released after the army chief announced he had forgiven him.

Dr Gerald Bareebe, a Ugandan-born political scientist at Canada's York University, sees a connection between the arrests and manoeuvring over Museveni's succession, often referred to as the Muhoozi Project. He said senior officers believed not to support the project have been arrested, detained or charged with corruption and treason, and that the allegations were widely viewed as politically motivated. He also pointed to divisions between the elite Special Forces Command and army commanders who remain unconvinced about the succession.

The military has defended the arrests as part of efforts to tackle corruption and criminality within the armed forces. Ugandan security analyst Freddie David Egesa said the arrests reflect investigations involving different security agencies, rather than an army-led purge. He argued that detaining senior officers helps protect witnesses and demonstrates the seriousness of the anti-corruption drive, and that the army chief has a duty to permit the investigation team to arrest high-profile people in consultation with the commander-in-chief, adding that the arrests are not done summarily.

Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja dismissed claims of a succession fallout as hogwash. Kainerugaba was appointed army chief in March 2024, after previously commanding the Special Forces Command. Unlike his predecessors, he frequently uses X to announce arrests, criticise public officials and comment on domestic and international affairs, some of which have sparked diplomatic controversy. The cases against the officers are at different stages: some face charges, others are in detention without publicly announced charges, and several have been released.