Ugandan General Muhoozi Apologises to Trump Amid Sanction Calls

Ugandan General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, has publicly apologised to the United States following growing calls for sanctions over alleged human rights violations linked to Uganda’s disputed 2026 general elections.

In a statement released on Friday, January 30, Muhoozi revealed that he had deleted earlier social media posts that triggered international criticism. He admitted that he had been misinformed and regretted the remarks that strained relations with Uganda’s allies.

“I want to apologise to our great friends, the United States. I have spoken with the US Ambassador, and everything is okay. We will continue our military cooperation as usual,” Muhoozi said.

The Chief of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) acknowledged that his comments had affected diplomatic ties with key partners, particularly the United States, one of Uganda’s most important bilateral allies.

Following the controversy, Uganda moved quickly to calm tensions through its embassy in Washington. Uganda’s top diplomat, Adonia Ayebare, played a key role in easing the diplomatic standoff between the two countries.

Ambassador Ayebare later confirmed that the matter had been resolved, emphasising that Uganda’s relationship with the United States remains strong, beneficial, and a priority for the East African nation.

Muhoozi’s apology came after U.S. Senator Jim Risch, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called on President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on him over reports of election-related violence in Uganda.

Senator Risch also urged a comprehensive review of security cooperation between the two countries, citing Uganda’s worsening human rights situation.

His warning followed reports by opposition leader Bobi Wine that armed soldiers had raided his home and assaulted members of his family.

President Museveni was declared the winner of the January elections after securing 7.9 million votes, earning a seventh term in office. His main rival, Bobi Wine, garnered 2.7 million votes amid widespread allegations of electoral irregularities.

Muhoozi had earlier sparked outrage internationally after claiming responsibility for the killing of 22 supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP), referring to them as terrorists in a controversial social media post.

Senator Risch described Uganda’s elections as lacking credibility, comparing the country’s democratic decline to that of neighbouring Tanzania.

The polls were marked by the arrest of more than 2,000 people and a nationwide internet shutdown, making independent verification of the results difficult. Reports also indicated failures in biometric voter verification kits, forcing officials to rely on manual voting processes that critics say opened the door to massive ballot manipulation.

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