The Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has accompanied President Museveni to Russia for the second Russia-Africa Summit.
Pictures of Gen. Muhoozi seated in the same room with President Museveni in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday evening have since gone viral on social media.
Gen. Muhoozi, who is the former Commander of Uganda’s Land Forces, has been a strong supporter of Russia amid sanctions by western countries over the Ukraine conflict.
Muhoozi recently defended Africa’s relationship with Russia, saying the natural resource-rich country helped the black continent’s struggle against colonialism.
“Russia supported us Africans when we were oppressed and enslaved by people who were calling themselves Christians in Western Europe!” said Gen. Muhoozi in October 2022.
“They helped us liberate ourselves from colonialism,” he added.
“That means that Africa has a debt with Russia, with China, with Cuba, and with other countries,” said Muhoozi, also a former Special Forces commander.
“As proud, honourable and great people, we must pay our debts. That means we must stand with Russia now!”
Muhoozi recently met with the Russian Ambassador to Uganda, Vladlen Semivolos, in Entebbe.
The two officials “discussed the strong bilateral relations between Uganda and the Russian Federation and also reviewed our countries military-technical cooperation agreements.”
I am glad to be in St. Petersburg, Russia and looking forward to having fruitful engagements at the Russia- Africa summit especially in areas of cooperation that are beneficial for both Russia & Africa. pic.twitter.com/b9NcQt3yuu
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) July 26, 2023
The diplomatic relations between the countries date back to October 13, 1962.
“I am glad to be in St. Petersburg, Russia, and looking forward to having fruitful engagements at the Russia-Africa summit, especially in areas of cooperation that are beneficial for both Russia and Africa,” said Museveni on Wednesday.
State House said the President arrived at Pulkovo International Airport in the city of Saint Petersburg and was received by the Russian Federation Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Bogdan Mikhail Lleonidovich and many other senior government officials from the Russian federation.
The Russia-Africa summit will be attended by heads of states and governments from Africa as well as representatives of the vast majority of the African countries and the majority of the socio-economic and political players on the continent.
During his stay in Russia President Museveni will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart President Vladimir Putin on matters of mutual interest between Uganda and the Russian federation.
President Museveni was accompanied to Russia by a high-powered delegation that included ministers, members of parliament as well as several senior government officials.
Uganda hosts a representative office of Rostec, Russia’s state corporation, that also projects Rosoboron export’s interests in the country.
Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov recently said his country had plans to make Uganda a regional hub for the development, upgrading, and maintenance of Russian military equipment and technology.
Lavrov said both countries would deepen cooperation in areas such as developing satellites, remote sensing, and land and space infrastructure for military and civilian purposes.
