‘Beautiful bride, $1bn’ Uganda army chief demands from Turkiye

Uganda army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has demanded two things from Turkiye. Kainerugaba’s first demand is $1 billion for Uganda’s long military contributions in Somalia in combating Islamic militants. The second, which, in all likelihood, was made in jest is, hand over “the most beautiful woman in that country”, who Kaine­rugaba said would be his wife.

While Kainerugaba’s demand has attracted backlash, it is not the first time he has made such a bizarre and sexist demand. In 2022, Kainerugaba offered 100 cows to Italy in exchange for marrying its PM Giorgia Meloni.

Now, years later, Uganda’s Kainerugaba has demanded the most beautiful Turkish woman to be his wife. Should Ankara fail to comply within 30 days, Kainerugaba has threatened diplomatic consequences, including the closure of Turkiye’s embassy in Uganda’s capital Kampala.

Kainerugaba is the son of President Yoweri Museveni. On X, Ugan­da’s Chief of Defen­ce Forces Kainerugaba accused Turkiye of profiting from infra deals in Somalia, and port and airport operations in Mogadishu, while Uganda bore the heavy security burden of combating militants of Al Qaeda affiliate and IS’ Al-Shabab for two decades through African Union missions. He sought the $1 billion as a “security dividend”.