Disregard Muhoozi’s tweet backing Russia on Ukraine: Minister Oryem

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disowned a controversial social media statement by the first son, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On Tuesday evening, Gen Muhoozi, the Commander of the Land Forces tweeted that “majority of mankind (that are non-white) support Russia’s stand in Ukraine”, exclaiming that ”Putin is right!”.

The majority of mankind (that are non-white) support Russia’s stand in Ukraine.Putin is absolutely right! When the USSR parked nuclear armed missiles in Cuba in 1962 the West was ready to blow up the world over it. Now when NATO does the same they expect Russia to do differently?

— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) February 28, 2022

He further added: “When the (USSR) parked Nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba in 1962, the West was ready to blow up the world over it. Now NATO does the same, they expect Russia to do differently”.

The USSR and NATO stand for Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the North Atlantic Trade Organizations respectively.

Muhoozi occupies the second-highest military office in Uganda and is the only one who has come out publicly to voice his support for the Russian invasion.

It’s against this background that Henry Okello Oryem, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs disowned the statement saying Muhoozi’s statement does not represent the position of the ministry or the country on the Russia-Ukraine war.

“That was his opinion to which he is entitled but that is not the position of the Ministry or the Foundation of the Ministry, President Yoweri Museveni, he (Muhoozi) doesn’t speak for us”, Oryem told URN during a phone interview on Wednesday.

The minister added, “What he wrote represented his views as an individual just like the views of other people across the world who are supporting Ukraine on the contrary!”

Oryem clarified that Uganda does not support the act of aggression and that it is Uganda’s position that parties in any conflict must engage in meaningful negotiations to find an amicable solution to a disagreement as opposed to war.

On 24 February, the African Union-AU, a continental union consisting of 55 member states including Uganda, condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to declare war against Ukraine, and called for an immediate cease-fire to preserve world peace.

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