U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has rejected a public apology issued by Ugandan General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, calling it hollow and insufficient, and urged the United States to impose tougher sanctions on Uganda.
In a statement released Friday, Risch said Muhoozi — the son of President Yoweri Museveni and a senior military officer — had crossed a “red line” despite deleting a series of controversial social media posts and issuing an apology to the United States.
Risch criticized what he described as a pattern of provocative and inflammatory behavior by Muhoozi, arguing that an apology alone does not address broader concerns about Uganda’s conduct and respect for democratic norms.
He said stronger measures were necessary to hold Ugandan officials accountable and deter similar actions in the future.
Muhoozi’s social media posts, which were widely circulated before being removed, drew sharp criticism from U.S. officials and lawmakers, prompting diplomatic tensions between Washington and Kampala.
The Ugandan government has not publicly responded to Risch’s latest remarks.
The United States has long been a key security partner of Uganda, but relations have faced increasing strain over governance issues, human rights concerns, and recent statements by senior Ugandan officials.
