Gen Kainerugaba congratulates son Ruhamya on joining ‘God’s Army’, names new rank

The Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has congratulated his son, Second Lieutenant Ruhamya Kainerugaba, on his commissioning into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which he described as “God’s Army”.

In a message posted on X, Gen Muhoozi combined a father’s congratulations with a prayer for the young officer.

“I want to congratulate my beloved son, Ruhamya abasheija, for commissioning as an officer in God’s Army…UPDF. May Almighty God always bless you 2nd Lieutenant Ruhamya,” he wrote.

President Yoweri Museveni commissioned Ruhamya during a ceremony at the Uganda Military Academy in Kabamba, Mubende district, on October 20, 2026. His entry into the officer ranks extends the military careers of the president’s family into a third generation. Museveni is his grandfather, while Muhoozi heads the armed forces.

Ruhamya trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. According to the Uganda Media Centre, he and Andrew Bakira were among six cadets who trained abroad before the Kabamba ceremony. Four others trained in India. Gen Muhoozi and his wife, Charlotte Kainerugaba, attended the event.

The ceremony saw 280 officer cadets commissioned. Museveni urged the officers to uphold discipline and strengthen their training. He also called on the army to protect wealth creators and tackle crime.