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Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, said on Saturday that he is traveling to Tel Aviv, declaring his intent to meet his “Israeli brothers” amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The general has recently vowed to deploy 100,000 Ugandan soldiers to defend Israel against Iran and its regional proxies.
He framed the proposed mission as a repayment for what he described as historical strategic support provided by Israel to Uganda in past decades, stating that because Israel stood with Uganda, his forces would now stand with them.
Kainerugaba has remained firm in his position, asserting that Ugandan troops are prepared to enter the conflict if Israel faces the threat of defeat. As he heads to Tel Aviv, attention is shifting to whether his pledge will translate into formal state-level coordination between Uganda and Israel.
His remarks have largely been shared on social media platform X, where his posts have been strongly pro-Israeli and infused with religious sentiment. He has also repeatedly targeted Iran, dismissing its military capabilities and invoking religious rhetoric in his criticism.
Beyond Iran, Kainerugaba has also escalated tensions with Turkey. He announced plans to terminate all diplomatic relations with Turkey within 30 days and threatened to block Turkish Airlines as part of the move. In one statement, he said: “We are going to end ALL diplomatic relations with Turkey in the next 30 days,” later adding, “We shall block their Airlines too!”
In separate remarks, he issued further provocative demands toward Turkey, including financial and personal conditions, while continuing to emphasize his alignment with Israel.
Despite his strong statements, there has been no official confirmation from the Ugandan government or Israel endorsing the troop deployment offer. Reports note that Uganda’s active military stands at about 45,000 personnel, though Kainerugaba has claimed significantly higher readiness numbers.
His comments come amid a broader regional backdrop that includes a US-brokered truce in the Israel-Iran conflict, though his statements appear to remain personal and have not yet translated into official policy.
