Gen Muhoozi to Besigye's wife: You tried to wreck a happy home!

Netizens have been treated to a spectacle after Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba traded words with Kizza Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima over her remarks on her past relationship with President Yoweri Museveni.

The tiff which took place on the X platform, had the two exchange words online. The online buzz started when in a recent interview on Next Gen Radio, Byanyima reflected on her previous relationship with Museveni who is the father to Muhoozi.

While she confirmed they were once in a relationship, she emphasized that it holds little significance today.

“This is a relationship that I had so many years ago and in my view, it was a normal relationship with some challenges and I left. It’s one of those events that happened in my life, a small event,” Byanyima.

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But the situation escalated when Muhoozi went on X, unleashing criticism of Byanyima. According to Muhoozi, Byanyima, who is married to embattled opposition leader Kizza Besigye, tried to wreck their home.

“There was nothing normal about your relationship with my father,” he tweeted. “You found a happy home and tried to wreck it. You’re a disaster of a woman,” he added.

In a now-viral post, Byanyima replied, warning Muhoozi to go slow about her past relationship with his father or else she may be forced to provide hard evidence.

“There is a more complex history between your father and I and that we have both chosen to move past with mutual respect. However, if you continue to present a false narrative, I may need to provide hard evidence of the facts. I prefer to maintain our dignified approach, but that choice remains yours. I consider this matter closed,” she responded.

Conversations about the relationship between Byanyima and Museveni have gained traction on social media, with some commenting that the Ugandan President was reveling in Besigye’s hardships because of their intertwined past.

Muhoozi, who is the Chief of Defense Forces of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), further hinted at the possibility of bringing Besigye before the General Court Martial, citing Besigye’s behaviour and the actions of his wife Byanyima.

Muhoozi warned that if she mentioned his parents, Besigye would face military court proceedings.

Arrested in Kenya

Besigye was arrested in Kenya last year. He is accused of plotting to overthrow Museveni’s government.

The treason charges have drawn international condemnation. He has been charged with treason in a civilian court after his contentious case was shifted from a military tribunal.

Byanyima, who is a trained aeronautical engineer, is a politician, human rights activist, feminist and diplomat. She is the executive director of UNAids. Byanyima and Museveni’s relationship dates back to the 1980s when they were comrades in Uganda’s bush war against Milton Obote’s regime. Byanyima stood by Museveni’s side as he marched into Kampala in 1986. But she ended up marrying Besigye who was Museveni’s doctor during the war.

Byanyima’s father, Boniface Byanyima, had previously laid bare the relationship between Museveni and his daughter in an interview with The Observer. The now deceased elder Byanyima had a stint in Ugandan politics where he was a member of Parliament and also the national chairman of the Democratic Party.

“Museveni came here proposing marriage. He wanted to marry her, which I opposed. I told my daughter Museveni was not a reliable character. I think it was in 1987. By then he was married to Janet [Kataha]. I knew that. First, there came his father [Amos] Kaguta to propose. I said no. Then Museveni came here when he was president. I said I can’t agree. I said if you are marrying her, if she wants, it will be her responsibility. Me I don’t want that,” the elder Byanyima had said in the interview.