The opposition political parties, including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party and the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) party, have described President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s appointment of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the new Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) as a clear confirmation that he wants him to be his successor.

While addressing members of the press at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on March 25, 2024, Walid Mulindwa Lubega, the FDC Deputy Secretary for Publicity, Publication, and Documentation, said that the reshuffle confirmed the succession plans.

“In the FDC, we view the promotion of Mr. Museveni’s son to CDF and the appointment of Patriotic League of Uganda promoters to key ministerial positions as indicative that the succession plan from Mr. Museveni to his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba is taking shape,“ Lubega said.

FDC further accused President Museveni of enriching his family members and having most of them in big leadership positions.

“Uganda now operates under family rule; with Yoweri Museveni as president, his wife Janet as Minister of Education, his younger brother Salim Saleh as a Senior Presidential Advisor on military matters, his son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo as a Special Presidential Advisor, and now his son Gen Muhoozi as Chief of Defence Forces, it is evident that significant strategic decisions for the country are being made within the family meeting,” Lubega added.

Joseph Kabuleeta, the NEED party president, noted during the party weekly press release on March 25, 2024, at the party headquarters in Rugaba, Kampala, that the transition plan officially started after President Museveni made the son CDF. He added that this came after Museveni launched the UPDF Establishment 2021, which gives the CDF a lot of power and responsibility.

“There are two steps to that transition; the first will be that, in a scenario where the president dies, the army takes over, and therefore the CDF in charge of the army becomes president. Secondly, they are preparing for parliamentary presidential elections that will be supported by the Speaker and other ministers, where Muhoozi will be made president,” Kabuleeta stated.

Kabuleeta asked Ugandan patriots to come out and resist the so-visible transition that is already taking shape, stating that Uganda is not a property for one family.

“We call upon all Ugandan patriots, even those in the ruling party who do not support power inheritance, to come and resist inheritance because this is the best way since they have shown their plans clearly,” he noted.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, March 21, 2024, where key supporters of the PLU, a movement supporting Muhoozi Kainerugaba, had a few of its top mobilizers, like Balaam Barugahara and Lilian Aber, appointed as ministers in the new cabinet. Many Ugandans saw it as a reward for working closely with and being loyal to Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the first son who was also appointed as CDF.