Uganda's Army Chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has repeatedly drawn international attention for his unusual and often sexist statements about women, is once again in the headlines. His latest comments have triggered another round of global criticism. General Kainerugaba has placed two extraordinary demands before Turkey. His first request is for one billion dollars, which he claims is owed to Uganda for its long-standing military presence in Somalia and its fight against Islamic militant groups. His second demand, which has attracted criticism, was for Turkey to hand over what he called "the most beautiful woman in that country" to become his wife.
The Ugandan commander's remarks have drawn sharp backlash, but this is not the first time he has made such bizarre statements. In 2022, he publicly offered 100 cows to Italy in exchange for marrying its Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Now, years later, Kainerugaba has revived a similar pattern by demanding a Turkish woman as his bride.
Threat of diplomatic breakdown if Turkey doesn't comply
Kainerugaba has warned Ankara that failure to fulfil his demands within 30 days would trigger serious diplomatic fallout. His threats include shutting down Turkey's embassy in Kampala and blocking Turkish Airlines from entering Ugandan airspace. He suggested that Turkey could shut down Uganda's embassy in Ankara in response and insisted that Uganda would not hesitate to cut ties. "For Turkey, it's a really simple deal... Either they pay us or I close their embassy here. They can reciprocate and shut our embassy in Turkey as well. No problem," he wrote on X. "If Turkey does not address our problems, we will sever our diplomatic relations within 30 days," he added.
Allegations of unfair gains in Somalia
The Army Chief, who is also the son of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, went on a posting spree on X on April 11. He accused Turkey of making economic gains through major infrastructure, port and airport operations in Mogadishu while Uganda carried the security burden for nearly two decades in the African Union missions against Al-Shabab militants. He demanded the billion dollars as a "security dividend", later adding the personal request for a Turkish bride. "On top of the $1 billion from Turkey, I want the most beautiful woman in that country for a wife!" he wrote.
Kainerugaba warns Ugandans against travelling to Turkey
Describing bilateral ties with Turkey as "serious", Kainerugaba said the situation could soon escalate beyond social media. He urged Ugandan citizens to avoid travelling to Turkey "for your own safety." "Forget Twitter games. We will close diplomatic relations with them very soon. Who needs a friend who keeps stabbing you in the back," he posted.
A pattern of outlandish public declarations
This controversy adds to Kainerugaba's long list of provocative statements. He is known for making flamboyant comments about regional geopolitics. In 2022, he even offered 100 Ankole cows, which he called "the most beautiful cows on earth", in exchange for the hand of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
