KAMPALA: The Commander of the Land Forces in the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), Lt Gen Muhoozi has announced he is retiring from the army.
He just tweeted his announcement.
After 28 years of service in my glorious military, the greatest military in the world, I am happy to announce my retirement. Me and my soldiers have achieved so much! I have only love and respect for all those great men and women that achieve greatness for Uganda everyday,” he wrote in a tweet posted on the micro blogging social media platform at exactly 13:44 hours.
His retirement, if approved by the army’s Commissions Board, will fuel mounting speculation that the general who is also the son of the Ugandan President is headed for a possible career in politics.
This website has tried to reach him for a further comment but in vain.
However, the spokesman for the land forces Lt Col Chris Magezi told us that it is possible he is on his way out.
“I have not asked him yet but the procedure is that one applies to the army’s commissions board for acceptance,” he told us.
Asked if Gen Muhoozi has done this, Magezi said he wasn’t sure but revealed that at any time, even the president who is the commander in chief can retire anyone anytime and at his own discretion.
Gen Muhoozi who also a senior presidential advisor on special operations has increasingly come to the limelight l, engaging in diplomatic and other special assignments.
He is credited for resolving the Uganda -Rwanda stand off which has seen the southern neighbor open up the land borders she closed three years ago.
Muhoozi has variously been rumored to be in the queue to succeed his father should the president opt not to stand at the next elections in 2026.
Last year, Muhoozi announced on twitter that he would resign from the army in a year’s time if the problems of his soldiers are not resolved.
According to The Kampala Report news website, Muhoozi joined the army In 1999, at the rank of officer cadet and graduated in 2000 from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the British Army’s officer training school. He quickly made promotion within UPDF.
In September 2011 Muhoozi was promoted to Colonel. In early 2012 Col. Muhoozi enrolled at the South African National Defence College for the Executive National Security Program. In August 2012 he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed Commander Special Forces Command.
In 2013 and 2014 Muhoozi was one of the senior UPDF commanders who deployed to South Sudan to support the Government of South Sudan after fighting broke out in Juba between rival factions of the SPLA.
In 2017 Muhoozi was appointed Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties, a position he held until December 2020.