The army chief of Uganda, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has demanded two things from Turkey. Kainerugaba’s first demand is $1 billion for Uganda’s long military contributions in Somalia in combating Islamic militants. The second, which, in all likelihood, was made in jest is, hand over “the most beautiful woman in that country,” who Kainerugaba said would be his wife.
While Kainerugaba’s demand has attracted backlash, it is not the first time he has made such a bizarre and sexist demand. In 2022, Kainerugaba offered 100 cows to Italy in exchange for marrying its Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Now, years later, Uganda’s Kainerugaba has demanded the most beautiful Turkish woman to be his wife.
Should Ankara fail to comply within 30 days, Kainerugaba has threatened severe diplomatic consequences, including the closure of Turkey’s embassy in Kampala, the Ugandan capital.
UGANDAN ARMY CHIEF WANTS A TURKISH WIFE. WHY?
Ugandan army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is the son of the country’s President, Yoweri Museveni.
In a series of posts on X on Saturday (April 11), Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces Kainerugaba accused Turkey of profiting from infrastructure deals in Somalia, as well as port and airport operations in the country’s capital, Mogadishu, while Uganda bore the heavy security burden of combating militants of the Al-Qaeda affiliate and Islamist terror group Al-Shabab for nearly two decades through African Union missions.
He demanded the $1 billion from Turkey as a “security dividend” while also adding a personal marital request on top.
“On top of the $1 billion from Turkey, I want the most beautiful woman in that country for a wife!” one of Kainerugaba’s posts on X read.
Failure to comply, Kainerugaba warned, would result in Kampala prohibiting Turkish Airlines from operating in its airspace and terminating all diplomatic relations with Ankara. “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 warned.
Kainerugaba described Uganda’s relations with Turkey as “serious”, adding, “Forget Twitter games. We will close diplomatic relations with them very soon. Who needs a friend who keeps stabbing you in the back.”
He also advised all Ugandans “to avoid all travel to Turkey. For your own safety.”
Alongside raging against Ankara for stabbing Kampala in the back, Kainerugaba took the opportunity to declare his support for Israel, saying, “I am ready to deploy 100,000 Ugandan soldiers to Israel, under my command, to protect the Holy Land — the land of Jesus Christ our God.”
UGANDAN ARMY CHIEF IS KNOWN FOR HIS BIZARRE, SEXIST DEMANDS
This is hardly the first time Kainerugaba has demonstrated his flair for offering outrageous deals. He has a history of outspoken posts on regional security as well.
In October 2022, he publicly offered 100 Ankole cows — which he described as “the most beautiful cows on earth” — in exchange for the hand in marriage of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
This offer was immediately followed by a threat. “If the Romans reject our cows, that means we must capture Rome. That would take us days to do,” Kainerugaba said.
In response, Kainerugaba’s father and Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, was forced to issue an apology for his son’s remarks. He criticised him for interfering “in the internal affairs of brother countries”.
Muhoozi, who is seen as a potential successor to his father, publicly threatened Kenya in 2022 of invading it.
“It wouldn’t take us, my army and me, two weeks to capture Nairobi,” he said.
This threat prompted his father to sack him temporarily from his position as Chief of Defence Forces and issue a formal apology to Kenya.
As of filing this story, neither Turkey nor Somali officials have publicly responded to the recent demands of Kainerugaba. Ugandan authorities have also not clarified whether the statements represent the country’s official stance or the General’s personal views.
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