Ugandan President appoints his son, a major-general, as senior advisor

Ugandan President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has appointed his son to the position of Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations.

The appointment is part of sweeping changes that the President in his capacity as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces announced on Tuesday. The move has however fueled speculation that he is grooming his son to be a successor.

Mahor-General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is the eldest son of Museveni. The 42-year-old Muhoozi was promoted to the rank he currently holds last year.

His mother Janet Museveni was also named Minister of Education after the her husband started his fifth term in office after winning polls the main opposition says were rigged in February 2016.

I want to thank all of you my friends for the messages of congratulations and support. Almighty God bless you all!

— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) January 10, 2017

Museveni’s army reshuffle saw 15 changes with the topmost being the replacement of Ugandan Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) chief, Katumba Wamala, who has been given a cabinet position by Museveni as Minister of State for Works.

An army spokesman defended the new changes at the helm of the military stating that they were normal and good for progress of the institution.

African leaders and appointment of their children into high public offices

Other examples of African leaders positioning their children in high public offices include the situation in Angola where outgoing President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos has named his daughter Isabel as head of the state oil firm Sonangol.

Omar Bongo Ondimba till his death gave his son Ali Bongo a cabinet position. His son has won two elections – the second in August last year still remains the subject of a dispute by the losing candidate Jean Ping – a former African Union (AU) Commission chairperson.

In June 2016, President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema promoted his son Teodorin Nguema Obiang to the position of Vice President in charge of defense and security, according to a decree read on state television.

“In accordance with the Basic Law of Equatorial Guinea, I appoint his Excellency Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue Vice President of the Republic,” the decree of President Obiang read.

Teodorin Nguema Obiang, who is 47 years old and a possible successor to his father, previously held the position of Second Vice President since 2012.