KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has publicly endorsed President William Ruto’s bid for a second term, saying National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula will support the Kenyan president’s re-election.
Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, made the remarks in a post on X on Friday, October 2, in which he described Wetang’ula as his “Mutume” in Kenya.
“Now that I have enough Batume in Uganda, I appoint Rt. Honourable Moses Wetangula as my Mutume in Kenya. He will support my President William Ruto’s re-election. Tunataka Second term,” Kainerugaba wrote.
The post was a direct expression of support for Ruto ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, although it did not indicate that Kainerugaba had been formally involved in Ruto’s campaign.
Kainerugaba is Uganda’s serving Chief of Defence Forces, according to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
Wetang’ula already campaigning for Ruto
Kainerugaba’s remarks come as Wetang’ula has increasingly used public rallies and political meetings to campaign for Ruto’s second term.
In July, the Speaker urged residents of Nambale in Busia County to support Ruto, saying he had previously been a strong supporter of the late opposition leader Raila Odinga but was now backing the President’s re-election.
Wetang’ula has subsequently repeated his support for Ruto in Western Kenya.
At an empowerment event in Saboti, Trans Nzoia County, in August, he challenged politicians seeking to replace Ruto to persuade voters through their policies and development plans rather than relying on political rhetoric.
He has also urged Kenyans to reject ethnic politics and assess political leaders on their policies and development record.
The Speaker’s position therefore predates Kainerugaba’s latest statement, with Wetang’ula having publicly declared his support for Ruto’s second-term bid on several occasions.
What does ‘Mutume’ mean?
Kainerugaba’s use of the term “Mutume” appears to refer to Wetang’ula as an emissary, representative or political messenger in Kenya.
However, the Ugandan military chief did not explain what specific responsibilities he expected Wetang’ula to undertake beyond supporting Ruto’s re-election.
There is also no indication in his post that the designation represents a formal political appointment or an official role within Ruto’s campaign.
The significance of the statement lies instead in the public nature of the endorsement and the fact that it came from a senior Ugandan military official who has increasingly commented on regional political affairs through social media.
Muhoozi’s growing political profile
Kainerugaba has become an increasingly prominent political figure in Uganda despite serving as the country’s military chief.
In August, he announced that he would seek Uganda’s presidency in 2031, reviving longstanding speculation about his political ambitions and his potential succession of his father, President Museveni. Reuters reported that Kainerugaba had announced his intention to run for Uganda’s top office in 2031.
The UPDF officially lists Kainerugaba as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
His political statements therefore carry significance beyond Uganda’s domestic politics, particularly when they concern political leaders in neighbouring countries.
His latest intervention places him publicly on the side of Ruto’s re-election effort, while stopping short of establishing any formal role in the Kenyan President’s campaign.
Kenya-Uganda border politics
The comments also come amid heightened political debate along Kenya’s western border with Uganda over voter registration ahead of the 2027 election.
The controversy followed allegations that some Ugandan nationals were being facilitated to acquire Kenyan identity documents and register as voters.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rejected those allegations, saying it has not received credible evidence supporting claims of illegal registration or the transfer of foreign voters into Kenya’s electoral register.
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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has separately defended the registration of Kenyans living or working in neighbouring countries, arguing that citizens do not lose their rights because they reside across the border. He made the remarks in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia County, on October 1.
The allegations remain politically contested and are separate from Kainerugaba’s endorsement of Ruto.
A regional political message
Kainerugaba’s intervention adds a regional dimension to Kenya’s increasingly active 2027 political landscape.
While Wetang’ula has already established his support for Ruto’s second-term campaign, the Ugandan general’s public declaration places a senior official from a neighbouring country directly into Kenya’s political conversation.
It also illustrates how political developments in Kenya and Uganda increasingly intersect, particularly in border counties where communities, businesses and families have longstanding cross-border ties.
For now, however, Kainerugaba’s statement remains a public political endorsement rather than evidence of a formal role in Ruto’s campaign.
Wetang’ula’s own position is clearer: he has repeatedly called on Kenyans to support Ruto for another term and has been actively mobilising support for the President ahead of the 2027 election.
