NRM FAMILY FRONTS MUHOOZI TO SUCCEED MUSEVENI

By Ambrose Kweronda
www.mknewslink.com
In Rukungiri—
Uganda’s debate over political succession within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has gained renewed attention following remarks by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, who said members of the NRM have decided to rally behind Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the person they want to succeed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Speaking during the thanksgiving ceremony for Rujumbura County Member of Parliament and Minister for Security, Hon. Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, held at his country home in Kasoroza, Nyakagyeme Sub-County, Rukungiri District, Tayebwa addressed hundreds of constituents, religious leaders and high-ranking government officials who had gathered to celebrate Muhwezi’s victory in the 2026 general elections.
Tayebwa reportedly said: “As the NRM family, we have decided to choose from among ourselves a Musuuga who will inherit the presidency after the Museveni administration, and that is Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.”
The remarks add to a series of increasingly public declarations by political figures supporting Muhoozi, who currently serves as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and is President Museveni’s son.
Tayebwa has participated in mobilization activities associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a movement closely associated with Muhoozi and his supporters. The activities have included efforts to collect public endorsements for Muhoozi ahead of the 2031 elections.
Tayebwa’s comments place the question of succession more directly within the NRM’s political conversation. His reference to Muhoozi as the person who will “inherit the presidency” is particularly significant given that Museveni has been president since 1986, making the question of who could eventually succeed him one of the most closely watched issues in Uganda’s politics.
Muhoozi’s possible presidential ambitions have been openly discussed by his supporters, with PLU-linked mobilisation activities taking place in different parts of the country. Supporters have portrayed the mobilisation as a grassroots demand for Muhoozi to take over the leadership of the country, although Muhoozi has not formally taken over the leadership of the NRM from Museveni.
The succession debate has also attracted attention because of Muhoozi’s dual position as a senior military officer and the president’s son. His political future has therefore remained a subject of sustained national discussion.
Supporters argue that his growing public profile reflects increasing demand for generational change within the ruling movement, while critics have questioned the relationship between his military position and political activities.
As Chief of Defence Forces, any transition by Muhoozi from military service into active electoral politics would have to take into account the legal and constitutional requirements governing serving members of the armed forces.
The remarks by Tayebwa therefore raise broader questions about how the NRM intends to manage leadership transition after the Museveni era. For decades, Museveni has remained the dominant figure within the NRM and Uganda’s political system, making his eventual departure from the presidency a potentially significant transition for both the ruling movement and the country.
Meanwhile, other senior political and public figures have continued to publicly associate their political fortunes and national development messages with President Museveni and the NRM.
Hon. Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, the Minister for Security and Member of Parliament for Rujumbura County, expressed profound gratitude to President Museveni for what he described as continued trust and confidence in his leadership. Muhwezi praised Museveni’s leadership and credited it with steering Uganda toward sustainable socioeconomic development.
Muhwezi also extended his appreciation to the electorate following his victory in the 2026 general elections, describing the mandate as a triumph of unity, development and collective aspiration.
“I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful for the immense trust and confidence you have placed in me. This victory does not belong to me alone; it belongs to every single resident of Rujumbura Constituency who believes in a brighter, more prosperous future for our community,” Muhwezi said.
At a church service, the North Kigezi Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe, commended President Museveni for what he described as transformative leadership in building a disciplined and professional national army.
Bishop Asiimwe said the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) had evolved into what he described as a pro-people force, contrasting it with the security forces associated with previous regimes.
The bishop also publicly commended Muhwezi for what he described as fulfilling his development promises to the electorate.
The developments come as political discussions increasingly turn toward the future of the NRM beyond the Museveni era. While Muhoozi remains a serving military commander and no formal transfer of NRM leadership has taken place, supporters continue to build public momentum around his possible political future.
Whether the current mobilisation develops into a formal presidential campaign will ultimately depend on decisions by Muhoozi, the NRM leadership and the legal processes governing presidential elections.
For now, Tayebwa’s declaration has added fresh prominence to the succession debate by placing Muhoozi at the centre of discussions about the possible political leadership of Uganda after the Museveni administration.