Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has declared his intention to run for Uganda’s presidency in 2031, formally putting his name into the country’s future succession conversation.
Kainerugaba announced the plan in posts on X on Tuesday, saying he would seek the country’s highest political office at the 2031 election.
“I will stand for the highest office in the land in 2031. And we will win by the grace of Almighty God.”
The military chief also predicted a strong electoral performance, saying he could win 90 per cent of the vote if he received the backing of his father, whom he called “Mzee.”
His announcement comes after years of speculation over his political ambitions. Kainerugaba had been linked to a possible presidential contest before Uganda’s January 2026 election, but he eventually withdrew from that race and backed Museveni.
Kainerugaba remains a senior figure in Uganda’s security and political landscape. He heads the country’s military and is also associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda, a political pressure group. His growing political profile has fuelled discussion over the future leadership of the country after Museveni.
Museveni, who has been Uganda’s president since 1986, won a seventh term in the January 2026 election. His plans beyond his current tenure, including whether he would seek another term in 2031, have not been settled.
Ugandan government spokesman Alan Kasujja told Reuters that any decision on Museveni’s future candidacy would be made by the president and the ruling National Resistance Movement when the appropriate time arrives.
Kainerugaba’s announcement also comes against a difficult political backdrop. Opposition leader Bobi Wine has travelled to the United States, while opposition politician Kizza Besigye has remained imprisoned since 2024 and faces a treason trial, according to Reuters.
With the 2031 election still several years away, Kainerugaba’s declaration does not determine the eventual contest. It does, however, make the question of political succession an increasingly prominent issue in Uganda.
