KAMPALA, Uganda – General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, ignited a firestorm on X Saturday, February 22, 2025, with a scathing attack on Winnie Byanyima, the UNAIDS Executive Director. Labeling her a “disaster of a woman” and “home wrecker,” Muhoozi alleged shocking details about her past romantic relationship with his father, thrusting a decades-old personal saga into the public spotlight and amplifying tensions ahead of the 2026 elections.
A History of Friction
Muhoozi’s tweets are no stranger to controversy, often hailed as Uganda’s most entertaining—and provocative—voice on X. But his latest outburst targets a longstanding critic: Byanyima, wife of jailed opposition leader Kizza Besigye. The feud traces back to the late 1990s when Byanyima, a former revolutionary and parliamentarian, publicly questioned Museveni’s decision to fast-track Muhoozi into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) as a Local Defence Unit (LDU) recruit. Museveni dismissed her critique, but it marked Muhoozi’s entry into Uganda’s political discourse—a moment Byanyima unwittingly catalyzed.
Fast forward to 2025: Besigye’s arrest in Kenya late last year and subsequent trial in a Ugandan military court have reignited old rivalries. Muhoozi, now the UPDF’s top commander, has relished taunting Besigye on X, even vowing in January to “hang him on Heroes Day.” Byanyima, a fierce advocate for her husband’s release, has not minced words in condemning the Museveni regime, including Muhoozi’s rise.
The Spark: Byanyima’s TV Revelation
The latest clash erupted after Byanyima’s Saturday morning interview on NBS TV with Canary Mugume at her Kasangati home. Addressing her past with Museveni, she described it as a “normal relationship” from her youth—with “challenges”—that ended long ago. “I’ve known him since I was three,” she said, downplaying its relevance to today’s political battles. “It had no significant impact.”
Muhoozi, however, saw red. Within hours, he fired off a blistering X post: “There was NOTHING normal about your relationship with my father. You found a happy home and tried to wreck it. You’re a DISASTER of a woman!! You didn’t leave. Mzee kicked you out in December 1986, dragged you to the car while you were crying and sent you to your parents.”
Scandal Meets Power Play
This isn’t just a family spat—it’s a bombshell with political weight. Muhoozi’s claims of a dramatic 1986 breakup—months after Museveni seized power—contradict Byanyima’s composed narrative, hinting at a deeper, untold story. As Museveni, 80, eyes a potential 40-year milestone in 2026, and Muhoozi positions himself as a successor, the timing raises eyebrows. Is this a calculated move to discredit Byanyima and Besigye, key opposition figures? Or a personal vendetta spilling over into Uganda’s volatile political arena?
The allegations also revive speculation about Museveni’s inner circle. Byanyima, a co-founder of the NRA guerrilla movement that brought Museveni to power, was once a close ally. Her shift to opposition—married to Museveni’s former comrade-turned-rival Besigye—has long fueled intrigue. Muhoozi’s outburst adds a salacious twist, blending personal history with public power struggles.
A Nation Watches
The fallout is immediate. On X, Ugandans are buzzing—some decry Muhoozi’s brashness, others revel in the drama. “He’s turned a quiet Saturday into a soap opera,” one user quipped. Politically, it deepens the rift between Museveni’s camp and the opposition, with Byanyima’s credibility under attack as she fights for Besigye’s freedom. For Muhoozi, it’s a double-edged sword: his flair for provocation keeps him in the headlines, but risks alienating moderates wary of his impulsive streak.
Globally, Byanyima’s UN role amplifies the story’s reach. Will she respond to Muhoozi’s taunts, or let her promised memoir—teased during the interview—settle the score? For now, Uganda braces for the next tweet in a saga where personal secrets and political stakes collide.
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