‘We stand with Israel because we‘re Christians’: Uganda would join war ‘on Israel’s side,’ warns army chief

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba: 'Any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war'

Amid Iran’s drastic and daily threats against Israel and the often lukewarm promises of support from its allies, a statement made by the army chief of Uganda this week has positively surprised many Israelis.

“We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it,” General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), wrote on 𝕏 on Wednesday.

“But any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war. On the side of Israel!”

Thank you, Uganda — I am an Evangelical Israeli living in Jerusalem and I am deeply grateful for your moral clarity, true courage, solidarity! @mkainerugaba https://t.co/gL895kiasW
— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) March 26, 2026

It was unclear what exactly prompted this outburst of solidarity, but Kainerugaba wasn’t finished.

He doubled down in several more posts on 𝕏, explaining, “We stand with Israel because we are Christians. Saved by the Holy Son of God...Jesus Christ the only One who can forgive sins. The Bible says 'Blessed are you Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.' (Deuteronomy 33:29).”

On Thursday, he recalled the history of the two nations, noting, “Israel stood with us when we were nobodys in the 1980s and 1990s. Why wouldn't we defend her now that our GDP is $100 billion? One of the largest in Africa.”

We stand with Israel because we are Christians. Saved by the Holy Son of God...Jesus Christ the only One who can forgive sins. The Bible says 'Blessed are you Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.' (Deuteronomy…
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) March 26, 2026

Kainerugaba also joked, “I hear our friends in Israel are looking for a division to capture Tehran. Personally, I think a division is too much. A UPDF Brigade would do the job quickly.”

Finally, he shared a “sneak peek” of a statue of Yonatan (Yoni) Netanyahu, which he had announced in February would be placed at Entebbe International Airport at the very location where he was killed.

Yoni was an Israeli hero whose letters are taught in schools and whose quotes are frequently recited at memorials. He was the older brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was killed in 1976 while leading a commando raid to rescue Israeli hostages from Palestinian and German terrorists at Entebbe International Airport.

This is a sneak peek of the 'Yoni' statue that will soon be unveiled at Entebbe International Airport. Godbless Uganda and Israel. pic.twitter.com/vGXStZvydo
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) March 26, 2026

Last month, Kainerugaba announced: “In order to strengthen our close blood relations with Israel, we shall soon unveil a statue to Yoni Netanyahu at the exact spot he was killed at Entebbe Airport. Yoni was the big brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Godbless Uganda and Israel.”

Israel and Uganda do not maintain close diplomatic relations and have no permanent diplomatic missions in each other’s countries. Nevertheless, PM Netanyahu has visited Uganda several times.

Kainerugaba is the son of Yoweri Museveni, who has been president since 1986 and is widely seen as a dictator.

Museveni toppled his predecessor, Idi Amin, who supported the terrorists during the Entebbe raid, and is seen as working to groom his son to take over the presidency soon.

Kainerugaba is notorious for his use of 𝕏 (formerly twitter), with detractors claiming he often posts while drunk. He has previously expressed support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and publicly offered 100 cows as a bride price for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Earlier this year, he wrote, “I fear no one on this planet because my bloodline is from Jesus Christ.”

In January, he threatened to remove the testicles of opposition leader Bobi Wine after he said the recent election results were “fake.” Kainerugaba wrote on 𝕏 that he would give Wine “exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the police.”

“If he doesn't we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly,” he wrote, before deleting the posts.