What are general Muhoozi Keinerugaba’s military career and achievements?
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has had a distinguished military career, marked by significant achievements and rapid promotions. Born on April 24, 1974, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to President Yoweri Museveni and Janet Museveni, Muhoozi joined the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in 1999.
*Early Military Career*
– Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 2000 after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK
– Served in various roles, including Head of Combat Readiness in the Presidential Protection Unit (PPU)
– Participated in the defeat of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Soroti
*Key Command Roles*
– Commander of Special Forces Command (SFC) from 2008 to 2017 and 2020 to 2021
– Commander of the UPDF’s Infantry branch from June 2021 to October 2022
– Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the UPDF since March 2024
*Notable Operations*
– _Operation Lightening Thunder_ (2008): Second-in-Command in the Democratic Republic of Congo, targeting the LRA
– _Operation Shujaa_ (2021): Led joint military operations with the Democratic Republic of Congo against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)
– Defeated the ADF in Bundibugyo (2007) and Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu (2011)
*Awards and Recognition*
– Promoted to General in 2022
– Appointed CDF in March 2024, the highest rank in the UPDF
Muhoozi’s leadership has been characterized by modernization efforts, increased defence diplomacy, and strategic restructuring of the UPDF.