Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Uganda’s Army Chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has issued a three-day ultimatum to US Ambassador William Popp, demanding a personal apology to President Yoweri Museveni or face expulsion from the country.
Gen. Muhoozi, who also serves as the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), accused Ambassador Popp of disrespecting both his father, President Museveni, and Uganda as a whole.
In a series of posts on X (formerly known as Twitter), Gen. Muhoozi criticized the ambassador’s actions, alleging that Popp had been engaging in “undiplomatic behavior” within Uganda.
“We will demand he leaves Uganda,” said Gen. Muhoozi, who gave Mr. Popp until 9:00am on Monday.
Gen. Muhoozi did not provide specific details regarding the alleged “undiplomatic behavior.”
In his post, he emphasized that Uganda has no issue with the United States, a nation they “love and admire.” However, he claimed there is growing evidence that the US has been working against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
The NRM is the political party founded by Gen. Muhoozi’s father, President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.
President Museveni, who came to power through a prolonged military struggle, has been endorsed by the NRM party to run for a seventh term in the 2026 elections.
Gen. Muhoozi’s reference to the party hints that his frustration may be linked to the upcoming elections.
For years, Gen. Muhoozi had openly expressed his ambition to succeed his father and even declared “in the name of Jesus” that he would be on the ballot in 2026.
However, last month, Muhoozi announced he would not contest in the election, instead endorsing his 80-year-old father while warning that Uganda should be ruled by the military.
What specific actions by the US triggered this reaction remains unclear, but it comes as Uganda prepares for the 2026 elections, which are expected to present one of the most formidable challenges to the aging Museveni’s rule.
Friday’s ultimatum to the US Ambassador follows an earlier post by Gen. Muhoozi, where he cautioned that Uganda was nearing a serious confrontation with Ambassador Popp over what he views as continued disrespect toward President Museveni and disregard for the country’s constitution.
“Fellow Ugandans, it is my solemn duty to announce to you all that we as a nation are about to have a serious confrontation with the current US Ambassador to our country,” Gen. Muhoozi posted.
“For disrespecting our beloved and celebrated President and for undermining the constitution of Uganda.”
In a follow-up post, Gen. Muhoozi clarified that his issues with Ambassador Popp are not personal. Instead, his frustration arises from what he perceives as foreign interference in Uganda’s internal affairs.
“This is not just about General MK; it involves President Museveni, the government, and the people of Uganda. This is a national issue, and you will see that no foreign nation will ever dominate Uganda again!” Gen. Muhoozi stated.
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Gen. Muhoozi’s remarks come in the wake of ongoing US sanctions against Ugandan officials for alleged human rights violations.
Recently, the US Department of State sanctioned four members of the Uganda Police Force for their involvement in serious human rights abuses, including acts of torture.
Among those targeted were Bob Kagarura, former Wamala Regional Police Commander; Alex Mwine, former District Police Commander for Mitanya; Elly Womanya, a former Senior Commissioner in the Criminal Investigations Division; and Hamdani Twesigye, the former Deputy Inspector of Police at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
Ambassador William Popp assumed his position in September last year, following his predecessor Natalie Brown, but during his tenure, several high-ranking Ugandan officials have faced US sanctions.
This year alone, sanctions were imposed on Speaker Anita Among, her husband and FUFA President Magogo, former Ministers for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, Minister Amos Lugoloobi, and their spouses. These actions are believed to have further strained relations between Uganda and the US, and may contribute to General Muhoozi’s dissatisfaction with the ambassador.
Despite Muhoozi’s history of erratic social media posts, his latest strong warning to the US is likely to escalate tensions between the two nations. As of now, the US Embassy in Kampala has not responded to his ultimatum.
