What started as a group of fans organising birthday celebrations, and community rallies in the name of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has in less than five years morphed into the most influential political group, spreading its tentacles into all arms of government.
In the latest development, Gen Muhoozi yesterday announced changes to the leadership of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), drafting in senior government officials, including Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to the Central Committee of PLU as special envoys to Parliament. The two are the leaders of the Legislature, the third arm of government responsible for oversight, appropriation and making laws.
‘Thank you Chairman for the trust…We are going to work hard and ensure the vision of our leader is fully realised,’ Tayebwa responded to the appointment.
Muhoozi also appointed members of the Executive, mostly ministers, to serve in his group, whose leadership structure mirrors that of the National Resistance Movement. The Minister for Defense and Veteran Affairs, Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, was appointed as vice chairperson for Buganda. The Minister for Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, and his Trade counterpart Sanjay Tanna, were also appointed to the Central Committee. Other members of the Executive that profess allegiance to PLU are government Chief Whip Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and Local Government minister Balaam Barugahara.
The move comes nearly three weeks after President Museveni announced his Cabinet for the 2026-2031 term, from which Muhoozi tapped key leaders. Analysts say the move is a consolidation of power by Gen Muhoozi, who is the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and the President’s son. Mr Wandera Ogalo, a constitutional lawyer, argued the leaders of Parliament should have declined the appointments. ‘Both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are lawyers.
They know it’s unconstitutional for the CDF to constitute anything to do with politics. Not just the Constitution, but the Political Parties and Organizations Act…So these two leaders know it is unlawful for them to be part of that group,’ he said. Mr Ogalo added that while the group maintains it is a pressure group, it in practice bears the hallmarks of a political organisation.
‘We have seen them sponsoring people to stand for office. They even say they have ministers for them in the Cabinet. They even say they have MPs. It is a political organisation. We should stop pretending it is a pressure group. It has not just found the courage to register itself because it wants to ride on the back of National Resistance Movement (NRM),’ he said.
‘It is a test to see what type of Speaker and Deputy Speaker we have. I would expect them to immediately inform the CDF that no, it is not possible for them to belong to this so-called pressure group,’ Mr Ogalo added. The game plan In social media posts that followed leadership changes announcements, Gen Muhoozi emphasised PLU remains faithful to the NRM, and the current government.
‘Our task as PLU is to achieve Mzee’s target of a 500 billion dollar GDP by 2031! I will supervise ALL government departments to achieve that goal,’ he posted on his X handle. Muhoozi explained that his actions have the blessing of the President.
‘Ugandans are beginning to believe that there is method to the madness. In fact the so-called ‘madness’ was probably deception all along. Something Mzee told me to act out 10 years ago,’ he tweeted.
But Ogalo said this is a consolidation of succession plans that have been in the works for decades. ‘The President decided to begin the process of a transition. But he has not been fair to the country. It is manipulative. The transition, is there already’ he said. ‘We have a parallel government which is now seated in the CDF offices…. And the CDFC himself, by the way, has already said on Twitter [X] that he’s going to manage all these ministries. He’s forming a parallel government within, but it will be giving orders and managing from headquarters, while you have another Cabinet in the President’s office pretending to be managing the affairs of the country,’ he added.
The PLU, formerly the MK Movement, started in 2022, nine years after former intelligence Chief Gen
David Sejusa alleged there was a plan to groom Gen Muhoozi to take over the presidency, and that officials who opposed the plan faced assassination. President Museveni denied the plot. In its early stages, the MK was branded as a civil outfit where members professed support for causes close to the leader’s heart, mostly promoting patriotism. The group organised rallies and birthday celebrations for their leader in different regions in the country. This quickly transitioned into a mobilisation tool in the run up to the 2026 elections for Muhoozi’s anticipated presidential bid. Gen Muhoozi had through his social media expressed he would contest in the election, plans that collapsed after his appointment as CDF.
In 2024, the group rebranded to PLU, and played a key role in mobilising support for President Museveni in the 2026 election. In its ranks are members of Parliament of the ruling NRM party. While it is registered as a civic organisation on paper, it has been actively involved in politics. It is viewed as both an ally of and a counter force to the NRM party.
At its rebranding in 2024, the former PLU Secretary General David Kabanda, and then NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda Mike Mukula disagreed on what vehicle would deliver the long awaited transition. While some like Mukula preferred Muhoozi pursue his intentions under the NRM, he has preferred to strengthen his PLU even while maintaining utmost support for his father’s party and leadership.