Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has directed all security services in Uganda to stay away from the ongoing issues surrounding the succession of the Tooro Kingdom, saying security agencies should not become involved in the matter.
Muhoozi, who serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, issued the directive in a statement shared on his social media platform, where he addressed the sensitive issue surrounding the Tooro succession.
In his message, Muhoozi said he was instructing all security services not to be “entangled or involved in any way” in the matter concerning the succession of the Tooro Kingdom.
“I hereby instruct ALL security services not to be entangled or involved in any way in the issue of the Tooro succession,” Muhoozi wrote in the statement.
He further stated that security services would continue to obtain guidance on the matter from President Yoweri Museveni, who is the Commander-in-Chief of Uganda’s armed forces.
“We shall get our guidance from the Commander-in-Chief as usual,” Muhoozi added in his message.
The statement comes amid public attention surrounding matters related to leadership and succession in the Tooro Kingdom. The kingdom is one of Uganda’s traditional institutions and has historically attracted significant public interest.
Muhoozi’s decision to publicly address the role of security agencies in the matter highlights the sensitivity surrounding issues involving traditional kingdoms and their leadership.
Traditional institutions such as the Tooro Kingdom have a significant cultural importance in Uganda, with their affairs often attracting attention from cultural leaders, government officials and members of the public.
By directing security agencies to remain away from the succession issue, Muhoozi appeared to emphasise that security institutions should not become directly involved in matters that concern the traditional leadership of Tooro.
His statement also made reference to the role of the Commander-in-Chief, indicating that security services would follow the established chain of command when guidance is required on matters touching on national security.
The remarks have attracted attention because of Muhoozi’s position as Chief of Defence Forces and his influence within Uganda’s security establishment.
The issue of succession in traditional kingdoms can sometimes attract strong emotions among subjects and members of royal families. This makes the involvement of security agencies a particularly sensitive matter.
Muhoozi’s message therefore seeks to draw a line between the responsibilities of security agencies and the affairs surrounding the Tooro succession.
The statement also comes at a time when discussions about the future leadership of Tooro have continued to attract interest from different sections of the public.
For supporters of the Tooro Kingdom, the succession question is primarily a cultural and traditional matter. Muhoozi’s statement could reassure those who believe that security agencies should not interfere in the internal affairs of traditional institutions.
At the same time, his reference to the Commander-in-Chief underscores the constitutional and institutional structure through which Uganda’s security agencies operate.
The statement has also generated discussion on social media, with Ugandans reacting to Muhoozi’s decision to publicly issue the directive.
Some observers are likely to view the announcement as an attempt to prevent security agencies from being drawn into a potentially sensitive cultural matter, while others may continue debating the wider issues surrounding the Tooro succession.
Regardless of the different reactions, Muhoozi’s position in the statement is direct: security services should not become involved in the Tooro succession issue and should instead await guidance through the established command structure.
The development places renewed focus on the relationship between Uganda’s security institutions and traditional cultural institutions, particularly when sensitive succession matters arise.
For now, Gen Muhoozi has made his position clear, instructing security services to stay out of the Tooro succession matter and stating that any necessary guidance will come from President Museveni in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief.
