A senior US senator has called for sanctions against Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as Washington reassesses its security relationship with Kampala following disputed elections.Senator Jim Risch, the Republican chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a strong statement on January 23, 2026, responding to Uganda’s presidential election held on January 15, 2026. The Electoral Commission declared President Yoweri Museveni the winner, granting him a seventh term and extending his rule beyond 40 years.
Risch dismissed the vote as illegitimate, saying it served only to entrench Museveni’s hold on power. He described the election as a hollow exercise, staged to legitimise President Yoweri Museveni’s seventh term and four decades in power.The senator compared Uganda’s election to Tanzania’s recent vote but said Uganda’s situation raised greater concern because of its close security ties with the United States.
“Uganda is a key regional security partner to the United States,” Risch said. “Yet, its ruling regime prioritises domestic control through political violence, abductions, imprisonment, intimidation of opponents, and the misuse of state resources to maintain its grip on power.”
Reports from the campaign period documented arrests of opposition figures, violence against supporters, and tight restrictions on rallies and media coverage.Risch linked Uganda’s internal repression to wider regional instability. He accused the government of contributing to unrest beyond its borders, including involvement in South Sudan.“Uganda is also linked to destabilising regional activities, making the regime an increasingly problematic exporter of instability,” he said.He warned that Uganda and Tanzania now follow similar political paths, a trend he said should alarm neighbouring countries preparing for elections.“Tanzania and Uganda are moving along similar paths, raising serious concerns about what this portends for other countries with upcoming elections, including Ethiopia and Kenya,” Risch stated.Muhoozi named sanctions targetGeneral Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and the current Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Force, featured prominently in Risch’s remarks. The senator named him as a potential target for sanctions under existing US laws.“As with Tanzania, the administration should reassess the US security relationship with Uganda, beginning with a review of whether sanctions are warranted against specific actors, including General Muhoozi Kainerugaba,” Risch said.
Muhoozi holds one of the most powerful military positions in Uganda. Critics have questioned his role in security operations and raised concerns about his public statements, which they say fuel political tension.Risch praised parts of the Trump administration’s engagement with East Africa, particularly efforts to expand trade and security cooperation. However, he warned that political repression in Uganda could undermine those goals.“I applaud how the Trump Administration is pursuing commercial and security gains in the region,” he said. “But I’m concerned this will be increasingly difficult to do given the current trajectory.”Opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine, rejected the election results and alleged widespread fraud. Observers reported internet shutdowns, delays at polling stations, and intimidation by security forces on voting day.Museveni remains firmly in power, but Risch’s comments reflect growing pressure in Washington to hold senior figures accountable if Uganda’s political direction does not change.
