Ugandan Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba deleted a series of contentious posts accusing the US Embassy in Kampala of aiding opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, and announced a suspension of military cooperation with the embassy.
The posts, made in the early hours of January 30, 2026, claimed that the US had undermined Uganda-US security ties for years through “unimaginative bureaucrats.”
Muhoozi alleged the embassy coordinated with Wine—who has been in hiding since a military raid on his home following the disputed January 2026 presidential election—to facilitate his evasion.
He declared the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) would halt all collaboration, including joint operations in Somalia.
Hours later, Muhoozi reversed course. In follow-up posts, he deleted the offending messages and publicly apologised: “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. I have spoken with the US Ambassador to our country and everything is okay. We are going to continue our military cooperation as usual.”
The swift retraction highlights the sensitivity of Uganda-US relations amid ongoing political tensions, including Muhoozi’s prior statements labeling Bobi Wine a fugitive “wanted dead or alive.” The episode underscores the volatile nature of social media diplomacy in East Africa.
Author: Bashirjuma
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