Muhoozi appoints himself Russia-Ukraine war mediator
By Wangu KanuriUganda President Yoweri Museveni’s son Muhoozi Kainerugaba is keen to mediate through the Russia and Ukraine stand-off.
In a tweet, Muhoozi who doubles up as a General in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), said he was ready to meet the two presidents for talks aimed at ending their differences which have degenerated into a full-blown war.
I will soon begin my great tour to the countries to the north. I will start by visiting our Russian hero, Vladimir Putin. I will also visit His Excellency Zelensky, President of Ukraine. It's time to bring this insane war to an end! pic.twitter.com/vePnEJZc9I
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) February 26, 2023
Muhoozi has in the past praised President Putin, suggesting his stand in this particular war was ‘in the right direction’.
Through his controversial tweets, Muhoozi while defending Russia, indicated that an attack on Moscow was an attack on Africa.
President Putin does not have to threaten nuclear war. We hear him. An attack on Russia is an attack on Africa! pic.twitter.com/r2Xpe56V5Q
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) September 24, 2022
The Ugandan government has stressed that Muhoozi’s tweets on Russia and other countries are his opinion.
Muhoozi’s stance to negotiate a truce between Russia and Ukraine comes as a surprise, as he has been known to vouch for confrontation.
He has twice, in the past year, threatened to capture Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, within two weeks. The comments, made on Twitter, led to a diplomatic tiff between Kenya and Uganda, and a written apology from his father.
Muhoozi who has shared his ambition to succeed his father as the country’s president, has also consistently threatened to crush his enemies, including journalists if he takes over at State House.
But this will not be the first time Muhoozi has brokered a truce between two countries.
In 2021, the 48-year-old successfully mediated a diplomatic tiff between Uganda and Rwanda leading to Kigali opening her Katuna border with Uganda which was closed for two years.
In the aftermath of the negotiations, President Paul Kagame visited Kampala for the first time in more than three years.
Russia and Ukraine descended into full-blown war on February 24, 2022, in the wake of tensions between Moscow and Kiev.
President Putin has successively vowed to seize Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, even as he battles sanctions imposed on the country by USA and UK.
The war has affected several African countries which rely on the two countries for food fuel and food imports, leading to an increase in the price of commodities.
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