Kigali-Kisangani: Muhoozi's bellicose tweets reignite regional tensions
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commander of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and son of President Yoweri Museveni, has once again shaken the regional diplomatic and military landscape with a series of controversial tweets. These posts, shared via his X account, come just after he completed an official visit to Kigali, where he was warmly received by the Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, General Mubarakh Muganga, and personally thanked President Paul Kagame for his hospitality.
In one of his most striking tweets, Muhoozi stated: "Within a week, either the M23 or the UPDF will be in Kisangani. On the orders of Yoweri Museveni, Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF!" He also addressed the people of this strategic northeastern Congolese city: "People of Kisangani, we are coming to save you. The army of God is coming!" These statements, with their messianic and militant tone, immediately raised concerns among observers, especially given that Kisangani lies far from the current frontline between the FARDC and the M23, and well beyond traditionally contested zones.
These messages emerge in an already tense regional climate. The UPDF is officially deployed in Ituri as part of a cooperation agreement with Kinshasa to combat armed groups such as the ADF and CODECO. However, several analysts point out that this cooperation also allows Kampala to expand its territorial influence without facing the international condemnation directed at Kigali. While Rwandan forces and the M23 are accused of serious human rights violations and targeted by sanctions, Uganda seems to be advancing its agenda more discreetly, even presenting itself as a legitimate partner.
Yet recent developments on the ground could signal the beginning of a rupture. According to Ugandan sources, two colonels, three majors, and several FARDC elements disguised within the CODECO militia—allegedly with the complicity of the military governor of Ituri—were captured during ongoing UPDF operations in the province. These individuals have reportedly been transferred to Uganda for interrogation. This incident raises serious questions: Is this the end of the military cooperation between Kinshasa and Kampala? And how long can Uganda continue to avoid international condemnation—will it soon follow Rwanda's path?
In a particularly aggressive series of posts, Muhoozi also declared: "The Ugandan-speaking people of eastern Congo will never be abandoned. The Alur, Bahema, Banande, and Batutsi are our brothers, and we have the RIGHT to protect them!" This type of identity-based rhetoric echoes the justifications used by Rwanda for its intervention in Kivu and supports those who believe Kampala is playing a double game—oscillating between strategic rivalry with Kigali and its own ambitions in the DRC.
But it is primarily the war against CODECO militias in Ituri that allows Muhoozi to project strength. Reposting triumphant military statements, he claimed that the UPDF had killed 242 CODECO fighters in Fataki during clashes on March 18 and 19, 2025. "CODECO prays to the Devil every day! We pray to Jesus Christ every day. Let's see who is stronger? So far, we have killed 300. I want at least 10,000," he tweeted. These statements are shocking—not only for their extreme religious language but also for their glorification of violence. He even added: "My father, General Yoweri Museveni, told me a few months ago that I must turn the UPDF into a 'killing machine.' That is what we are working on."
These declarations, coupled with his recent visit to Kigali, fuel speculation: Is Muhoozi seeking to rekindle a strategic alliance with Rwanda to reshape eastern DRC to their advantage? Or is he playing a personal card, he who has never hidden his political and military ambitions on the regional stage? His tone, veering between provocation and messianism, is cause for concern. And his repeated references to Kisangani—a city historically scarred by Rwanda-Uganda confrontations in 1999–2000—raise fears of a return to direct rivalry, this time cloaked in the guise of a crusade.
In a context where the international community is still trying to stabilize eastern Congo through processes like Luanda or Nairobi, Muhoozi's tweets come as a true torpedo. Whether this is mere political posturing or a signal of new military ambitions, the message is clear: Uganda does not intend to remain passive in the face of developments in eastern DRC. And Kigali, by hosting Muhoozi amid a regional crisis, shows that a certain strategic alignment remains possible.
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
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