Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has sparked international attention after demanding KSh 128.5 billion, (approximately $1 billion) from the United States of America.
The announcement came in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in which Muhoozi claimed the money is owed to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
“I still demand $1 billion from the USA for the UPDF annually. And they will pay it,” he declared.
The controversial statement follows a series of viral rants by Muhoozi, who had initially announced plans to take a break from social media.
However, the hiatus did not materialize as he returned to the platform, posting a string of tweets that intensified an already tense situation between Uganda’s military leadership and the United States.
Muhoozi specifically targeted US Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who had criticized him for crossing a so-called “red line.”
Risch had responded to Muhoozi’s earlier tweets suspending cooperation with the US embassy in Kampala, warning that such actions were unacceptable given the presence of American personnel, US interests, and regional security concerns.
In response, Muhoozi defended himself with a fiery statement, asserting his authority and rejecting the notion that he could be demeaned.
“My name is not ‘Commander @mkainerugaba.’ My name is General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. What ‘Red line’ have I crossed according to you?
You can re-evaluate whatever you want as far as our cooperation is concerned, but you will never DEMEAN and DEGRADE us. You will never make us your slaves,” he wrote.
In his latest posts, Muhoozi also invoked King Charles III, clarifying that while he may have disagreements with Senator Risch, he maintains cordial regard for the British monarch.
The ongoing exchange has drawn widespread attention online, highlighting tensions between Uganda’s military leadership and foreign officials, while raising questions about the implications of such public confrontations for diplomatic relations in the region.
By Nairobihub