After a week-long diplomatic firestorm, the Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has issued a rare public apology to his uncle, Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho popularly known as Salim Saleh and vowed to halt his online attacks on European diplomats.
The apology followed a tense closed-door meeting between Gen. Saleh and European Union envoys in Gulu, where the veteran general was forced to step in amid growing international outrage over Muhoozi’s recent social media tirades.
In a post on his X platform, Muhoozi acknowledged his misstep and extended a personal apology to his uncle.
“Out of respect for my great uncle, Afande Saleh, I shall not mention Germany or bazungu again. I want to apologize to Afande Saleh if I disobeyed him in any way. Nisamehe Afande,” he wrote.
The CDF’s public retreat comes on the heels of intense diplomatic pressure sparked by a series of online posts in which Muhoozi accused German Ambassador Matthias Schauer and other EU diplomats of interfering in Uganda’s internal affairs and backing opposition forces.
His remarks didn’t go unnoticed. Multiple diplomatic missions issued formal protests, prompting the EU delegation to demand clarity from the Ugandan government.
The situation grew more volatile when the UPDF, through its official X handle, declared that Uganda had “cut all military ties” with Germany a move that further strained relations with Berlin and caused ripples across the region.
Inside sources revealed that it was Gen. Saleh who took it upon himself to address the escalating crisis.
Hosting the EU diplomats in Gulu, Saleh reportedly reassured them of Uganda’s respect for diplomatic norms and pledged to “tame” Muhoozi’s conduct. His intervention was later reinforced quietly through senior ranks of the UPDF.
During the Gulu meeting, Saleh took the unusual step of apologizing to the EU delegation on behalf of his nephew, acknowledging the damage caused by Muhoozi’s social media activity.
The ripple effects of Muhoozi’s posts were not limited to Europe. Regional neighbors, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, reportedly raised concerns over his remarks, fearing their implications on regional stability.
