Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has deactivated his official X account hours after launching a scathing public attack on Vice President Jessica Alupo, demanding her removal from office and accusing her of disloyalty to President Yoweri Museveni.
Kainerugaba, who is Museveni’s son, made the controversial remarks through a series of posts in which he declared that Alupo’s time in government was coming to an end while suggesting that he could eventually take over the vice presidency.
His verified account, @mkainerugaba, was subsequently rendered inaccessible, appearing as though it no longer existed.
The army chief did not immediately provide an explanation for the account’s deactivation.
Before going offline, Kainerugaba questioned Alupo’s suitability to remain vice president, insisting that the government had exercised sufficient diplomacy and that the current officeholder should prepare to leave.
“About being Vice President. I think we have been diplomatic enough. Whoever is in that office should prepare to hand it over soon,” he wrote.
He later clarified that he was not interested in assuming the position immediately, saying he wanted to concentrate on prayer while proposing that the vice presidency be moved to Uganda’s West Nile region.
“I’m not interested in the Vice Presidency right now…I want to focus on prayers. But I think we should shift it to West-Nile. At least we will get a man from there,” he stated.
In another post, Kainerugaba suggested that his leadership would introduce military-style management into government to eliminate inefficiency.
“As Vice President, the government will operate on military terms. There will be no more inefficiency,” he declared.
He further threatened that Alupo would soon be dismissed, claiming to enjoy considerable support in the Teso region, where the vice president hails from.
“As Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Jessica will be dismissed from our government soon. We have very many supporters in Teso. We don’t have to rely on traitors,” he wrote.
The army chief also accused Alupo of supporting former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi during his unsuccessful attempt to challenge Museveni in the 2016 presidential election.
“Jessica supported Amama Mbabazi to the maximum in 2015-16 when he stood against Mzee. If they think we have forgotten about that, they are joking,” he claimed.
In an earlier post, Kainerugaba had referred to a “young woman called Jessica who has been warming my seat for long enough”, before clarifying that he was referring to the vice presidency.
He also declared that women’s leadership in Uganda was coming to an end, writing: “The gynocracy in Uganda is coming to an end. Praise God.”
Alupo, a retired army major, has served as Uganda’s Vice President since May 2021 and was reappointed following the 2026 general elections. She had not publicly responded to the remarks.
Under Article 108 of Uganda’s Constitution, the president appoints the vice president, subject to approval by Parliament through a simple majority. In the event of a vacancy, the president is required to nominate a replacement within 14 days, with the appointment also requiring parliamentary approval.
The latest confrontation comes amid uncertainty over Kainerugaba’s own future in the military.
On Friday, November 6, 2026, the army chief announced that he was preparing to leave his position after completing what he described as his military responsibilities.
“My time as CDF is coming to an end. I have accomplished all the tasks my God gave me. In a few months I will hand over this office to a qualified officer. I shall dedicate my life to Christ after that,” he wrote.
However, he subsequently suggested that he would remain in the military leadership position for at least another year, raising questions about the timing of his planned departure.
Kainerugaba was appointed Chief of Defence Forces in March 2024 and has previously declared his intention to contest the Ugandan presidency in 2031.
His latest disappearance from X is not unprecedented.
On January 10, 2025, he announced that he was leaving the platform to concentrate on his military responsibilities but returned six days later with the message, “I’m back!”
He had similarly withdrawn from the platform in 2022 before making a comeback shortly afterwards.
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