'I take it as a compliment’: Madowo fires back after Muhoozi called him traitor

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (left) and CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo/SCREENSHOT

CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo has responded to Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, after the military chief said he blocked the journalist on social media.

Muhoozi posted that he blocked Madowo “for one simple reason. It’s best said in Kiswahili. He is a true Msaliti.” The Kiswahili word msaliti translates to “traitor.”

Madowo, a Kenyan journalist known for his coverage of East African affairs, reacted publicly, writing that he “consider[s] it a compliment that this nepo baby calls me a traitor (msaliti).”

He added, “The role of journalism is to speak truth to power, not to praise fragile bullies...”

The exchange follows days of tension surrounding Uganda’s January 15, 2026, presidential election, which President Museveni won amid allegations of irregularities and violence, a claim Museveni has denied.

Opposition figures, led by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, have criticised the polls, and Muhoozi’s social media posts have drawn international attention.

Earlier interactions between the two escalated after Madowo reported on Muhoozi’s controversial posts about opposition supporters. In one instance, Muhoozi had written that NUP supporters were “terrorists” and threatened that the party would be “removed and extinguished from our land.”

Some of these posts were later deleted amid backlash.

Madowo shared one of Muhoozi’s posts and asked publicly, “Muhoozi, why are you bragging about killing Ugandans who support the opposition? Is it because you’re protected by your father, President Museveni?” The question highlights the tension between political figures and journalists reporting on sensitive national issues.

The feud underscores broader concerns about press freedom and the role of social media in East African politics.

Observers say such exchanges reflect the growing influence of political leaders’ online presence and the challenges journalists face in holding power to account while avoiding personal attacks.

Muhoozi, who is Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, is known for his frequent and often provocative social media posts. He has previously courted controversy with statements on foreign policy and domestic political issues.

The incident has drawn reactions across the region, with social media users and media observers weighing in on the exchange. Many note the importance of journalists speaking truth to power, a principle Madowo emphasised in his response.