Earlier on the same day, the CDF warned that Ssenyonyi and former Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda would be arrested soon, though he did not provide details regarding the alleged grounds for such action.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has declared that he wants a new Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and vowed to remove Joel Ssenyonyi from the position.
In a series of posts on X on June 18, Gen Kainerugaba said he was determined to see a replacement for the Nakawa West legislator and indicated that the next opposition leader would have his personal endorsement.
“I want a new leader of the opposition in Parliament. And I will get him. He will be endorsed by me,” Gen Kainerugaba wrote.
His remarks attracted a response from David Kabanda, a member of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), who replied: “Ok Sir. Mine is to implement.”
Gen Kainerugaba responded: “Thank you comrade!”
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The army chief later intensified his criticism of Ssenyonyi, revealing that he had instructed PLU to examine possible avenues for removing him from office.
“I have instructed PLU to study how to remove @JoelSsenyonyi from being leader of the opposition as soon as possible,” he posted.
The latest comments deepen a growing public feud between Gen Kainerugaba and several opposition leaders.
Earlier on the same day, the CDF warned that Ssenyonyi and former Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda would be arrested soon, though he did not provide details regarding the alleged grounds for such action.
Gen Kainerugaba also criticised Ssenyonyi over remarks in which the opposition leader reportedly compared him to Joseph Kony. The army chief rejected the comparison, arguing that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces had spent years fighting the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency.
The statements are likely to fuel debate over the role of military leaders in political affairs and could further heighten tensions between the ruling establishment and opposition figures ahead of Uganda’s evolving political landscape.
Neither Ssenyonyi nor the Office of the Leader of the Opposition had publicly responded to Gen Kainerugaba’s latest remarks by press time.
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