Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has issued a series of explicit threats against Vice President Jessica Alupo, demanding she vacate her office and labeling her a “traitor,” in an extraordinary escalation that has thrust the country’s succession politics into open confrontation.
In posts published on his official X account on the evening of November 9, 2026, President Yoweri Museveni’s son abandoned earlier ambiguity and directly targeted the Vice Presidency.
“About being Vice President. I think we have been diplomatic enough. Whoever is in that office should prepare to hand it over soon,” Muhoozi wrote. He added that under his tenure, “the government will operate on military terms. There will be no more inefficiency”.
The general then made his target unmistakable, stating: “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”. In an earlier post days prior, he had referred to “a young woman called Jessica who has been warming my seat for long enough”.
Muhoozi further accused Alupo of disloyalty dating back a decade, alleging she backed former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi when he challenged 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 wrote. He also threatened arrest, stating: “We shall arrest Jessica, without hesitation if she is part of Elweru’s treachery”.
The Vice President has not publicly responded to the posts. Under Article 108 of Uganda’s Constitution, the Vice President is appointed by the President with parliamentary approval; the President may name a replacement within 14 days should the office fall vacant.
The threats against Alupo, a retired army major who has served as Vice President since 2021, are the latest and most direct manifestation of Muhoozi’s rapidly expanding political ambitions.
The general has already declared his intention to contest the 2031 presidential election, and his supporters within the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) have been mobilizing endorsements nationwide.
The confrontation follows a reported National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee meeting on October 27, 2026, during which Museveni allegedly presented a paper on leadership succession.
While accounts of the meeting remain contested, Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda claimed publicly that Museveni had endorsed his son as a prospective successor.
The reports have deepened divisions within the ruling party, with senior presidential adviser Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo reportedly expressing fear for her safety after opposing Muhoozi’s ambitions.
Muhoozi’s tenure as Chief of Defence Forces has been punctuated by controversial social media interventions, including threats against opposition figures and a 2022 claim that Uganda could capture Nairobi within two weeks – a remark for which President Museveni later apologized to Kenya.
Hours after the posts targeting Alupo, Muhoozi’s X account, @mkainerugaba, became inaccessible, displaying an “account doesn’t exist” notice, indicating voluntary deactivation. No official explanation was provided.
