By Akiki Abbo, reporter
Kampala, Uganda (Somalistandard) – On Thursday, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the influential son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, announced on Twitter that his country would send troops to defend Moscow if it ever came under threat.
In his tweet, Kainerugaba said people may choose to refer him as a “Putinist” and declared that Uganda would support Russia against what he referred to as “Imperialists.”
Kainerugaba’s announcement comes amid growing tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ugandan military has a history of participating in international peacekeeping missions, including in Somalia and the Central African Republic. However, it is unclear whether Uganda has the military capability to deploy troops to Russia, which is located thousands of miles away.
The tweet has received mixed reactions, with some Twitter users applauding Kainerugaba’s statement while others criticized it.
Some commentators questioned the wisdom of involving Uganda in a potential conflict between Russia and the West.
This is not the first time Gen. Kainerugaba has made headlines for his controversial statements. In 2019, he sparked a backlash when he suggested that Uganda should adopt a Chinese-style internet censorship regime.
He has also been accused of human rights abuses while serving as the head of Uganda’s special forces.
President Museveni has been in power since 1986 and is widely criticized for his authoritarian rule and crackdowns on opposition groups. Kainerugaba is widely seen as a possible successor to his father and has been touted as a potential presidential candidate in the future.
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