Faith Nyasuguta
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has openly threatened to impose sanctions on the United States, escalating tensions after American lawmakers criticised the credibility of Uganda’s recent general election.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Muhoozi warned that Kampala would respond directly if Washington targeted him or Uganda with punitive measures. “If some spoilers in the USA sanction me or Uganda for anything, we shall respond by sanctioning them too,” he wrote, framing any U.S. action as interference in Uganda’s sovereignty.
His remarks followed a sharp statement from U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who described Uganda’s elections as a “hollow exercise” and urged the U.S. government to reassess ties with Kampala. Risch suggested Washington should consider whether sanctions are warranted against key figures, including Muhoozi, over concerns about democracy and human rights.
The criticism comes after Uganda’s January 2026 general election, in which President Yoweri Museveni, already in power for nearly four decades, secured another term. Official results gave Museveni more than 70 percent of the vote, but opposition groups and observers alleged intimidation, arrests of activists, and restrictions on political activity during the campaign.
Risch argued that Uganda’s polls, like those recently held in Tanzania, were staged to legitimise long-standing leaders rather than offer genuine democratic competition. He also called for a review of U.S. security cooperation with Kampala and raised concerns about reported abuses against opposition supporters.
Muhoozi, widely seen as a powerful figure within Uganda’s security establishment and often viewed as a potential political successor to his father, has previously used social media to defend the government and criticise Western pressure. His latest comments mark one of the clearest signals yet that Uganda could retaliate diplomatically or economically if sanctions are imposed.
Despite the rhetoric, Ugandan officials have also sought to calm the situation. Kampala has stressed that relations with Washington remain strategically important, particularly in counter-terrorism cooperation and regional security operations across East Africa.
Still, the exchange sheds light on the growing strain between the two longtime partners, as U.S. lawmakers push for accountability over governance issues while Uganda insists on protecting its independence. If sanctions are formally pursued, Muhoozi’s threat suggests the dispute could evolve into a rare tit-for-tat standoff between the two governments.
RELATED:
