President Yoweri Museveni’s son says he will seek Uganda’s highest office, reviving speculation that he could eventually succeed his father.

Kampala, Uganda (Running Africa) — Uganda’s military chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced plans to run for president in 2031, bringing the country’s long-running succession debate back into focus as his father, President Yoweri Museveni, begins another term in office.

Kainerugaba, 52, made the declaration in a series of posts on X, saying he intends to seek Uganda’s highest office and expects to have his father’s backing.

The Chief of Defense Forces went further, saying he believed he could secure 90% of the vote with Museveni serving as his campaign manager.

His announcement comes months after the 81-year-old Museveni secured another five-year presidential term in January. Museveni, who has governed Uganda since 1986, has not publicly confirmed whether he intends to retire when his current term ends.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba Says He Will Run for Uganda President in 2031

Kainerugaba’s declaration provides the clearest timeline yet for political ambitions that have been discussed in Uganda for years.

In his social media posts, the army chief said he plans to contest the 2031 presidential election and expressed confidence that Museveni would support his campaign.

Kainerugaba also predicted an overwhelming electoral victory, saying he expected to receive 90% of the vote with his father managing his campaign.

The statements once again place the president’s son at the center of questions over who could eventually succeed Museveni.

Museveni Begins Another Five-Year Term

The announcement comes shortly after President Yoweri Museveni secured another five-year term in January.

Museveni has governed Uganda since 1986, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

Despite continued speculation about Uganda’s political succession, the president has not announced plans to retire at the end of his current term.

That uncertainty has made Kainerugaba’s 2031 declaration particularly significant, as the election would coincide with the end of Museveni’s latest five-year mandate.

Muhoozi Has Long Been Viewed as a Potential Museveni Successor

Kainerugaba has for years been widely discussed as a possible successor to his father.

His rise through the military has placed him in increasingly powerful positions within Uganda’s security establishment, culminating in his role as Chief of Defense Forces.

His growing public and political profile has also extended beyond the armed forces.

Kainerugaba heads the Patriotic League of Uganda, a political pressure group that has provided another platform for his supporters and expanded his influence outside the military.

His prominence has fueled persistent debate over the possibility of a family succession in Uganda, although Museveni has not formally designated him as a successor.

Kainerugaba Previously Considered 2026 Presidential Run

The 2031 announcement is not Kainerugaba’s first indication that he intends to enter presidential politics.

He had previously suggested that he could contest Uganda’s 2026 presidential election, generating widespread speculation about whether he would run against or seek to replace his father.

Kainerugaba ultimately stepped aside from that prospect and backed Museveni instead.

His latest declaration is therefore more specific, identifying 2031 as the election in which he intends to run for president.

2031 Declaration Revives Uganda Succession Debate

Kainerugaba’s announcement is likely to intensify discussion about Uganda’s political future long before the next election campaign formally begins.

Museveni’s decades in power have made the question of succession one of the most consequential issues in Ugandan politics.

Kainerugaba’s position at the top of the military, combined with his leadership of the Patriotic League of Uganda and his relationship with the president, ensures that his political ambitions will remain closely watched.

For now, the declaration does not amount to a formal candidacy, and Uganda’s political landscape could change considerably before 2031.

But by publicly stating that he intends to run, Muhoozi Kainerugaba has set a date for an ambition that has shaped Uganda’s succession debate for years and put the question of what comes after Museveni firmly back in the spotlight.