Faith Nyasuguta
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has appointed his son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the new Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). He replaces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi who was appointed Minister of State for Trade in the new cabinet reshuffle announced Thursday evening.
Gen Muhoozi has been serving as his father’s senior presidential advisor in charge of special operations.
This comes weeks after President Museveni on February 17 presented the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Establishment 2021, an instrument of delegated Command, Control, and Administration, to then CDF Gen Mbadi, to command all elements of the army.
“By virtue of the powers enshrined under Article 98(1) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, and Section 8(1) and (2)(a) of the UPDF Act, 2005, yesterday, on February 17, 2024, at the Defence Council meeting, I presented the UPDF Establishment 2021, an instrument of delegated Command, Control, and Administration, to General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, the Chief of Defence Forces of the UPDF, to command all elements of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces,” Museveni said.
In the new appointments announced Thursday evening, Gen Museveni named Lt Gen Samuel Okiding as the deputy CDF. He replaces Gen Peter Elwelu whom the President named as one of his senior advisors.
Last year, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa also came under fire for appointing his son, David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, as the deputy finance minister in a new cabinet following his re-election.
The move sparked major concerns about nepotism within the government.
David Mnangagwa, 34, was set to serve as the deputy to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, while the president’s nephew, Tongai Mafidhi Mnangagwa, was also named deputy minister of tourism and hospitality. This decision was part of the newly constituted cabinet consisting of 26 ministries, local media reported.
A lawmaker from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Fadzayi Mahere, criticized President Mnangagwa’s cabinet, describing it as “indefensible.” She highlighted concerns about legitimacy, corruption, violence, nepotism, incompetence, and ethical issues within the government.
In another move that raised eyebrows, President Mnangagwa appointed a husband and wife team, Christopher and Monica Mutsvangwa, as ministers. Christopher Mutsvangwa will lead the new ministry of Veterans of Liberation, while Monica Mutsvangwa is the new minister of Women’s Affairs and SMEs.
David Mnangagwa, who had just graduated with a law degree from the University of Zimbabwe, entered parliament through the youth quota system on the Zanu PF party list from Midlands province.
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