On Tuesday, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) Commander Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced his retirement from the army, a move that has since stirred mixed reactions from members of the public.
In the announcement he made on Twitter, Gen Muhoozi who is also President Yoweri Museveni’s son and his Special Advisor on Special Operations, did not explain circumstances regarding his said retirement.
“After 28 years of service in my glorious military, the greatest military in the world, I am happy to announce my retirement,” reads his tweet in part.
“Me and my soldiers have achieved so much! I have only love and respect for all those great men and women that achieve greatness for Uganda everyday,” he added.
Neither has the army nor any other authority come out to confirm, dispute or avail details concerning the matter.
For starters, retirement from the army is based on mainly four reasons which include voluntary application where serving officers apply to the Commissions Board chaired by the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) .
Once the Board gives it greenlight, the list of the retiring officers is forwarded to the Commander in Chief (C-I-C) for the final decision.
Officers can also be retired when they reach a certain age and still at a certain rank for example: Lieutenant and Captain at 40 years of age can apply to retired. Also Major at 45 years and Lieutenant Colonel at 47 years of age can apply to retire on grounds that their age won’t match the tasks for the rank.
The third reason is when the officer’s Commanders deem his services no longer needed in the Force, and opt to have him or her retired.
Finally, an officer can be retired on medical reasons based on the recommendation by the medical board.
The above is not the case for soldiers who are not officers. These are retired by their Unit Promotions Board which after approval sends the list to the Defense Headquarters for consideration. The approvals end at Chief of Defence Force’s level but the C-i-C may advise otherwise.
It is also important to note that one of the factors that determines who can go home or not, is the total amount of money the Ministry of Finance has availed for benefits of the retirees. This is why sometimes over 1,500 soldiers are retired and others only a few applications are honored.
Muhoozi’s announcement today did not answer the question of whether he was actually planning to apply for voluntary retirement from the army or the Commissions Board, he had applied or the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces had already granted his application.
In fact, several Ugandans on social media wonder how it has been easy for Gen Muhoozi to be blessed with an early retirement yet some of the senior officers include former Coordinator of Intelligence Agencies, David Sejusa have been barred despite their endless efforts to retire.
Others have actually interpreted it as a deliberate move by the system to prepare him for future political endeavors. But whatever the case, such an attempt could, or it has already hit a snag.
Going by procedure, Muhoozi needs to convince the Commissions Board why he wants to retire he is still young in comparison with his rank. Could it be because of some ailment?
One of Uganda’s leading news websites, the authoritative SoftPower News has, quoting impeccable sources, confirmed that the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Gen Yoweri Museveni who is also the President of Uganda, rejected Muhoozi’s attempt to retire from UPDF. (Read here: https://softpower.ug/exclusive-gen-museveni-stops-muhoozis-attempt-to-exit-updf/)
In a turn of events and what appears to confirm reports of his aborted retirement plans, Gen Muhoozi is seen in a video clip making round on the internet with veteran Journalist Andrew Mwenda, confirming that he won’t be retiring soon, but in a period of eight years from now.
It starts with Mwenda who says “the Lt Gen is retiring in exactly eight years” before Gen Muhoozi responds in the affirmative.
“Exactly, not tomorrow but in eight years – correct,” confirms the Commander Land Forces.
Mwenda has since posted this video on Twitter and has already be retweeted by Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba despite him maintaining the one announcing the retirement.