There seems to be a growing gulf between Uganda’s veteran leader Yoweri Museveni and his abrasive twitter-loving son who is openly defiant over his use of the social media platform.
Although Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has tried to ‘set the records straight’, making it known that he was not at war with his father, the fact that they have been talking at cross purposes sends a different signal publicly that they are not seeing eye to eye over the general’s unfettered access to twitter.
This is an unusual thing for Ugandans to savour from a typical African strongman who is not used to being defied but after his son, a four-star general in the army refused to be cowed over a twitter controversy, many are bemused how President Yoweri Museveni would react.
It is also providing a mother lode of factual and not so factual material for the media to feed on and inform theories about the chemistry between father and son and what their apparent twitter feud at the top could mean for the political trajectory of Uganda.
Tweet shows Muhoozi’s mischievous side
A tweet about invading another country, in this case Kenya from a man as powerful as President Museveni’s son is bound to be scrutinised for ‘its weight in gold’ given the potential to put implications for relations between Kampala and Nairobi on a short leash.
Kenyans were taken aback by the audacity of the tweet, which many saw as going too far even by the mischevious standards of Museveni’s hier apparent and it set off a flurry of diplomatic back and forths by diplomats of both countries to defuse any tension, real or imagined that may have resulted.
But it was left to Kampala to go on an elaborate damage limitation exercise and this fell at the feet of the proverbial village headman, Mr. Museveni to send fulsome apologies in the direction of Kenya and its new leader William Ruto who revers the Ugandan leader as a positive father figure.
It was generally understood in Nairobi that Uganda under him would not welch on the terms of its brotherly ties with its neighbour to the east.
Having restored a sense of goodwill from Nairobi, Museveni’s attention turned to his wiry son who was demoted from his position as commander of Uganda’s ground forces and accompanied with what was just short of a public dressing down.
Father also prevailed upon son to apologise to Kenya but Gen Muhoozi pushed fiercely against the idea of being banished from twitter or told what to do with the social media platform.
Gen Muhoozi, 48 issued an ascerbic rebuttal, saying curtly ”no one would ban me from anything”.
Many observers of the power play at the top in Uganda say this appears like an open challenge from a powerful son to his very powerful father who everyone believe is grooming Gen Muhoozi to replace him as the country’s next leader when the septuagenarian calls time on his career.
Ugandans still await Museveni’s crunch reaction to his apparently recalcitrant son.
Since his bush rebellion drove late Milton Obote from the seat of power in Kampala in 1986, the 78-year-old has consolidated his grip after 36 years in power.
Museveni gained a reputation for being ruthless with the faintest opposition to his commands and this open defiance by his son many not go unanswered, leaving the door open to the outside chance that Gen Muhoozi may end up being a political reject by the time Museveni decides who succeeds him.
But what this latest twitter controversy signals is that Gen Muhoozi known for tweeting support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Tigray rebels in the Ethiopian conflict has come of age and would not be reined in by anyone in Uganda – not even his aging father.
But as the proverbial headman in the village Museveni without doubt still holds the key to his son’s career future in politics or the army.
Will he apply a full spectrum approach to deal with him or will he overlook it as just a forgivable bout of reckless outbursts? Only time will yield the answer.
WN/as/APA