Museveni’s party rejects son’s succession bid
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
Uganda’s National Resistance Movement rejected a plan to designate Muhoozi Kainerugaba as his father Yoweri Museveni’s successor as president. A vote on his candidacy was halted after four votes in favour and three against, according to five party members cited by AFP.
The executive committee of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), the party of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, halted a vote on Tuesday 10 November on his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba succeeding him as president after several members expressed opposition, according to five participants cited by AFP. Four members had voted in favour of Muhoozi and three against when the vote was abandoned.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 52, and head of the Ugandan army, has announced his intention to run in the presidential election scheduled for 2031. NRM members challenged his political profile and his use of social media to threaten or attack his opponents, according to the participants cited by AFP.
NRM Vice-President Calvin Echodu asked Museveni to remove his son from the army and give him a civilian role so that he could become familiar with the population. He also reportedly advised the 82-year-old president to run again in 2031 on the grounds that his son would not yet be ready to lead the country.
The vote followed a proposal presented in late October by Yoweri Museveni to NRM officials to defend Muhoozi’s qualifications as his successor. The party had already faced internal challenges, notably following appeals targeting 75 NRM elected officials in October.
