Uganda Army Chief Muhoozi Demands $1 Billion And Most Beautiful Turkish Woman As Wife From Turkey
Kampala: Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has made a highly unusual set of demands on Turkey through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter). In addition to seeking $1 billion as compensation for Uganda’s nearly two-decade-long military contribution in Somalia against the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group Al-Shabab, the army chief demanded that Turkey hand over “the most beautiful woman in that country” to become his wife.
Kainerugaba, who is the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, accused Turkey of benefiting from infrastructure projects, port, and airport operations in Mogadishu while Uganda shouldered the primary security burden under African Union missions. He described the $1 billion as a deserved “security dividend.”
In one of his posts, he explicitly stated: “On top of the $1 billion from Turkey, I want the most beautiful woman in that country for a wife!”
The General issued a 30-day ultimatum, warning that failure to meet the demands would lead to severe diplomatic repercussions. These include closing Turkey’s embassy in Kampala, banning Turkish Airlines from Ugandan airspace, and severing all diplomatic ties. He added that Turkey could respond by shutting Uganda’s embassy in Ankara if it wished. Kainerugaba further advised all Ugandans to avoid travel to Turkey for their own safety and described bilateral relations as “serious,” stating that Uganda would not tolerate being “stabbed in the back.”
Alongside his criticism of Turkey, Kainerugaba declared his readiness to deploy up to 100,000 Ugandan troops to Israel under his personal command to protect what he called “the Holy Land -the land of Jesus Christ our God.”
This is not the first time the Ugandan army chief has drawn attention for controversial public statements. In 2022, he offered 100 Ankole cows which he called “the most beautiful cows on earth” in exchange for marrying Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He had also threatened to capture Rome if the offer was rejected. That episode prompted President Museveni to publicly criticise his son for interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.
Kainerugaba has a history of outspoken remarks, including a 2022 threat to invade Kenya within two weeks, which led to his temporary removal as Chief of Defence Forces and an official apology from Uganda.
As of now, neither Turkish nor Somali officials have issued any public response to the latest demands, and Ugandan authorities have not clarified whether the statements reflect official government policy or the General’s personal views.
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