Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has hit back at veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, recalling how Besigye once referred to him as a “boy” during their political disagreements.Muhoozi said circumstances had changed, noting that the person who was once dismissed as a young man now holds a powerful position in Uganda’s security establishment.
“Kizza Besigye used to call me a ‘boy’. Okay. Now the ‘boy’ has power over him. He is going nowhere,” Muhoozi said.The remarks come as Besigye continues to face serious criminal charges before Ugandan courts. He was arrested in November 2024 after disappearing in Nairobi, Kenya, and was initially brought before a military court alongside his aide Haji Obeid Lutale
.The case was later transferred to the civilian court system following legal challenges over the jurisdiction of military courts to try civilians. Besigye and Lutale were subsequently charged with treason and misprision of treason, alongside UPDF officer Capt Denis Oola.Prosecutors allege that the accused were involved in activities aimed at overthrowing the government by force of arms. Besigye and his legal team have denied the allegations and challenged aspects of the case, including the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Muhoozi, who serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, and Besigye have long stood on opposing sides of Uganda’s political divide. Besigye has been one of President Yoweri Museveni’s most prominent political challengers, having contested several presidential elections.Muhoozi’s latest remarks have renewed attention on the long-running political tensions between Uganda’s security establishment and opposition figures as Besigye’s legal battle continues.
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