Uganda’s public political and military discourse has taken another dramatic turn after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said Gen Salim Saleh had asked him to forgive Minister of Water and Environment Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, but indicated that he was not ready to let the dispute go.
In a series of posts on X on the night of October 2, 2026, Muhoozi said he had spoken to Saleh, whom he referred to as his “great uncle”, and that Saleh had appealed to him to forgive Otafiire.
According to Muhoozi, he rejected the request, saying there was growing frustration with what he described as older men spending their time abusing them.
“We are going to deal with this issue once and for all!” Muhoozi wrote.
The comments came hours after Otafiire addressed students at Valley University of Science and Technology in Bushenyi, where he again distanced himself from Muhoozi’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
Otafiire said he was not a member of the organisation and therefore did not see why he should be expected to speak on its behalf. He also recalled his role in Uganda’s past political struggles, including the fight against former presidents Idi Amin and Milton Obote.
“I fought Idi Amin, was I safe? I fought Milton Obote for five years. I would rather die on my feet fighting than live on my knees begging,” Otafiire said.
The remarks followed Otafiire’s maiden address to Parliament, in which he called for political tolerance and warned against resolving political disagreements through violence. He argued that opposition forces should be viewed as a “mirror” through which the ruling side can assess itself.
Muhoozi subsequently demanded an apology from Otafiire, initially giving him one week before reducing the deadline to three days. He later said the minister could be arrested, although his posts did not establish that an arrest had taken place or identify a specific legal process leading to one.
In another post, Muhoozi accused Otafiire of insulting him and suggested that the minister had several matters to answer for. He also said Otafiire would have to apologise.
As of the latest reports, there was no confirmation that Otafiire had been arrested. The dispute therefore remains a public exchange of accusations and threats, with Saleh’s reported attempt to calm the situation appearing, at least for now, not to have ended the confrontation.
The growing disagreement has attracted considerable public attention because both Muhoozi and Otafiire are senior military figures, while Otafiire also serves as a government minister and elected legislator.
HIGHLIGHTS
– Gen Salim Saleh reportedly asked Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to forgive Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire.
– Muhoozi said he was not prepared to let the dispute end there.
– Otafiire reaffirmed that he is not a member of the Patriotic League of Uganda.
– Otafiire invoked his past involvement in the struggles against Idi Amin and Milton Obote.
– Muhoozi shortened his demand for an apology from one week to three days.
– Muhoozi subsequently threatened that Otafiire would be arrested.
– There was no confirmed report of Otafiire’s arrest in the latest reporting.
TAKEAWAY POINTS
The disagreement between the two generals has moved beyond parliamentary remarks into a highly public confrontation on social media. While Otafiire has continued to defend his position on political tolerance and his distance from PLU, Muhoozi has maintained pressure for an apology and threatened further action.
The reported intervention by Gen Salim Saleh adds another dimension to the dispute, but Muhoozi’s latest statements indicate that the disagreement had not been resolved by October 3, 2026.I can also turn this into a if you want.
