Uganda’s first son and military chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has told America’s ambassador William Popp to apologize to veteran President Museveni or depart the East African nation, escalating diplomatic tensions between the countries.

In an earlier post on X, Gen Muhoozi cited “disrespecting our beloved and celebrated president and undermining the constitution of Uganda” as reason behind the move.

“If this current US ambassador does not apologize to mzee (Museveni) personally by Monday morning (9:00am) for his undiplomatic behavior in our country, we will demand he leaves Uganda,” he said on Friday.

In a barrage of posts, the first son appeared to suggest that the US has recently been aiming against Museveni's 38-year ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, which shot to power in 1986.

“We have no problem with the USA. As I have said many times, it is a country we love and admire. But lately we have a lot of evidence that they have been working against the NRM government,” Gen Muhoozi explained.

"If ANYBODY is STUPID enough to attack us here in our country, I can only promise them hell, destruction and defeat!! Afghanistan would look like a nice picnic compared to our resistance. Our fathers showed us the way, sacrifice is better than slavery," he added.

By press time, the US was yet to officially respond to Gen Muhoozi’s controversial posts coming barely a week after the US sanctioned four former top officers in Uganda’s armed forces.

“We are trying to analyse the situation,” a source at the US Mission told the East African.

On October 2, the US Department of State said it was “taking action against police officials Bob Kagarura, Alex Mwine, Elly Womanya and Hamdani Twesigye due to their involvement in gross violations of human rights.”

The US had previously designated several high-profile Ugandan officials, including former deputy military chief Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, parliament speaker Anita Among and minister Amos Lugoloobi- along with their families.

The Department indicated that Elwelu was blacklisted over "extrajudicial killings committed by members of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF)" while the rest were targeted due to alleged corruption.

Other key Ugandans under US sanctions include former police chief Gen Kale Kayihura, ex-spy chief Maj-Gen Abel Kandiho, Uganda Prisons chief Johnson Byabashaija and football federation boss Moses Magogo, who is the speaker's husband.

Museveni accepted Popp's credentials in September 2023, confirming him as Washington's diplomatic representative to Uganda, also known as the head of US mission.

Uganda and USA have had relatively good diplomatic ties lasting over 60 years despite repeated recent veiled rebukes by Museveni, aimed at the West.

Diplomatic law

Diplomatic missions operate under the scope of international law drawn from article 9 of the Vienna convention.

The law provides that the receiving state (in this case Uganda) may at any time without having to explain its decision- declare a diplomatic staff of a sending state (in this case USA) persona non grata.