Internal Affairs Minister, Rtd Maj Gen Otafiire, who fought in the NRA war that ushered the NRA/M government into power in 1986, has said the war historicals will not allow Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to disrespect them.
“We know you (Muhoozi) are Museveni’s son but we shall not allow you to disrespect us (historicals),” said Otafiire In an interview with CBS radio on Thursday.
“I speak as a member of NRM and on behalf of my party…We fought so hard and shed blood to bring this democracy and we shall not let it die as we look on idly,” said the Minister who has been attacking Muhoozi at several public fora across Uganda since late last year.
Otafiire’s remarks came just days after Muhoozi vowed to teach the Minister and fellow historicals a lesson.
“Call us ‘mad’ people because we dare to ask the questions that even children understand. Let us teach Otafiire and his group that their time is absolutely over,” Muhoozi said in a tweet, which he later deleted.
Otafiire, who has been attacking Gen Muhoozi at public fora since late last year, said the former Special Forces commander should first leave the armed forces if he intends to contest for president or engage in partisan politics.
“I don’t have any grudge with Muhoozi but as a serving army officer, he should not make any political statements,” said Otafiire on CBS FM.
“Sincerely someone who is not law-abiding, how could I follow him? What example is he setting for the rest of the other officers?” the Minister wondered.
ChimpReports understands NRA historicals want to have a say in who succeeds Museveni.
Insiders say Otafiire represents a small group of old NRA historicals who are opposed to a Muhoozi presidency.
These include Rtd Gen David Sejusa, Rtd Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde and other NRA war veterans.
At a function held in Kiruhura recently, Otafiire, who was accompanied by retired army generals, explicitly told elders, youth leaders and influential people in the area that the ruling party would not allow any other candidate apart from Museveni.
But Muhoozi has since put up stiff resistance and vowed to contest for President, saying he was “listening to the outcry of our people for change,” and that “Whatever NRM has become certainly does NOT represent the people of Uganda.”
The comments are thought to have unsettled Otafiire, who has been leading efforts to promote Museveni’s 2026 presidential bid.
Muhoozi said he believed in Jesus Christ and his father, President Museveni, but that he “certainly do not believe in NRM. In Marxist terms it (NRM) is probably the most reactionary organisation in the country.”
Last week, Otafiire indirectly attacked Gen Muhoozi, describing him as a “dysfunctional” and “a dead standby generator”.
Otafiire urged the public to vote for Museveni in the 2026 elections.
“Vote Museveni, forget the nonsense of (Muhoozi as) ‘standby generator!’ Why do we need a standby generator when we have electricity and the standby generator is dead and dysfunctional?!!” asked Otafiire.
In response, Muhoozi said, “In the cannibalistic politics of NRM, let me say this, those who fight my father, fight me and those who fight me, fight my father.”
Muhoozi got a label of ‘standby generator’ from his fans who see him as a potential successor of President Museveni.
