The deputy speaker of Parliament has rejected a proposal by a section of MPs to subject the utterances of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to a parliamentary investigation.
Over the weekend, Gen Muhoozi ruled out a possibility of Uganda being ruled by a civilian after President Museveni leaves power.
“No civilian will lead Uganda after President Museveni. The security forces will not allow it. The next leader will be a soldier or policeman,” Gen Muhoozi posted on X.
These comments have since rattled a number of members of the public.
On Monday, Kira Municipality MP, Ssemujju Nganda raised a matter of concern over the comments.
“ I want to draw you to the utterances made by Muhoozi Kainerugaba who is a Chief of Defence Forces himself, first that after his father the President, no civilian will be President in Uganda. Two, that as CDF, he has now endorsed the NRM Chairman for the next Presidential elections. These two issues, go against the core principles of this Constitution that a CDF, a military officer is endorsing the candidate of a political party. But he is also issuing threats that no civilian will be President after his father, that the Army will not allow,” Ssemujju said.
He asked Tayebwa to demand government to explain why of all soldiers in Uganda, Muhoozi has been allowed to violate various provisions of the law, to the extent of threatening to overthrow the Constitution by blocking civilians from becoming Presidents in Uganda.
However, in response, the deputy speaker tasked MPs accusing Muhoozi Kainerugaba of threatening never to allow any civilians from ever ruling in Uganda, to table evidence before Parliament, claiming that he isn’t on social media and hasn’t come across the statements that are being attributed to the Commander in Chief.
“Some of us aren’t on social media, where are these statements? Because it seems there are things being referred to, there are statements that some people read some of us haven’t read. If one could lay it on table, it could help some of us. I am just asking honestly because if we take it that everyone is on social media, waiting for statements, so if we can lay on table,” Tayebwa said.
He said parliament wont be drawn into investigating Gen Muhoozi’s remarks.
“The UPDF has its own Code of Conduct, has its own disciplinary procedures. If any member of the UPDF violates their code of conduct, they are subjected to their disciplinary action. I have seen Generals going there, I have seen senior officers going there. So, I don’t want Parliament to turn itself into an investigative body, before the Institution can utilize its own mechanisms in case there was a problem. Really, I am not going to refer this matter to the Committee for investigation.”
