By Awel Uwihanganye

AS commentaries continue about the recent promotion of Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Brigadier general of the UPDF, I keep wondering whether some of the critics consider that perhaps Muhoozi’s personal ambition, desire and determination to prove himself as a person and that of the son to live up to his fathers expectations and approval, has propelled him to excel in his chosen profession and therefore, warranting of the recognition he has gotten.

Muhoozi joined the UPDF after his university education, an age where one has the intellectual and mature abilities to make informed choices.

It becomes difficult to argue that he was forced by his father to join the army as a way of grooming him to take over from him through army promotions.

At that age, Muhoozi was in position to choose business or politics as a career, and I am sure success in any of these fields would have attracted the same levels of criticisms and cynicism. Therefore, for him as a Museveni the choices cannot be that easy.

The decision for President Museveni to support his son’s chosen career could not have been an easy one either, balancing military principles of fairness, merit with the support of a father to son.

When Muhoozi chose to join the army, as a parent would do, the father was expected to support him in anyway possible.

In this case the father happens to be the commander in chief of the UPDF and a general in the same.

Muhoozi had his revolutionary father, his decorated uncle, his idol Fred Rwigyema, others who he grew up with, whose conversation he listened in, and whose achievements inspired his ambition.

Such is the influence that surrounded a very impressionable boy growing up to a revolutionary father fighting for liberation across the African continent, inspired by ideologies of emancipation of the African peoples, and social justice issues.

In line with supporting him in career growth, he was sent to the best academies for training, and also deployed in critical assignments perhaps to prove himself.

It is obvious Muhoozi took on these opportunities with both hands and has done tremendously well.

First he has saved the country and his family an embarrassment of a first son with appetite for shady deals and outrageous lifestyles, typical of sons of presidents in Africa.

Second he never failed at any of the trainings he was sent to. The conversations would be different if he failed to meet academic or performance levels of academies such as Sandhurst or Leavenworth.

As a sign of approval of his abilities, he was assigned the unenviable task of being in charge of security for the President, his father and the entre family, in addition to ensuring security of visiting heads of states.

Applying human perspective to the debate, we need to consider his aspirations, ambitions, and achievements, his leadership abilities on their own merit.

To argue that he shouldn’t be in his position because he is a son of the president and has been in the army for only 12 years, without considering other factors, such as having the necessary training, assigned responsibility, track record, or a strategic move to transform the army to a new generation of leaders, is simplistic.

The dilemma members of political families find themselves, in pursuit of their own leadership and career ambitions is not limited to the Museveni’s.

In 1993, Hilary Clinton then first lady strongly asserted herself on Clinton/Democratic party health care policy to strong criticism from republicans of her role.

This move established her on the national political scene. She was later to run for president, and now serves as Secretary of state.

Here at home, there were reports of strong reservations of the president to the first lady Hon. Janet Museveni decision to run for parliament.

She later prevailed, and has gone on to establish her own track record as a steady legislator and effective public servant.

The George Bush family perhaps is the best example of how children born to political parents can take on the trade and even be better at it.

President Bush Snr saw his two sons become governors of two important states, Texas, and Florida, and GW Bush Jnr went on to serve two terms at the White house, avenging his father’s embarrassing loss to President Clinton just after one term, and Jeb Bush, Florida governor is yet to launch his own Presidential bid, should Romney fail in 2012.

Asked in a media interview whether he had the experience of serving as president, he referred to the privilege of having access to his father as he worked in the oval office and the lessons learnt as son of a President.

There is no doubt that parents will mostly want to influence their children to take on their trade, whether lawyers, doctors or politicians, and mostly children would want to do the same, because parents are the greatest influences a child can have, the primary role models.

Muhoozi chose serving as a soldier, to serve his country, he deserves our support for he has not given us any reason not to.

The writer is a Pan Africanist

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