Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has publicly thanked prominent Kampala businessmen Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia and Godfrey Kirumira after they formally endorsed his bid for the presidency in the 2031 general elections.
In a post on X on the morning of September 9, 2026, Gen. Kainerugaba addressed the two tycoons directly, calling them his “big brothers” and thanking them for their long-standing support, adding that he would not forget it.
The gratitude follows a visit by Ruparelia and Kirumira to the headquarters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) on Monday, September 7, where both businessmen signed endorsement registers backing Kainerugaba’s presidential ambitions. PLU is the political mobilisation group chaired by Gen. Kainerugaba, and the visit formed part of an ongoing nationwide signature-collection drive targeting 20 million Ugandans by September 2027.
Ruparelia and Kirumira are central figures in the Kwagalana Group, an influential network of Kampala business elites. Ruparelia in particular is widely regarded as Uganda’s wealthiest individual, with interests spanning banking, real estate, hotels, education and broadcasting — making his endorsement a notable signal from the business community.
The businessmen’s endorsement adds to a rapidly growing list of high-profile figures who have thrown their weight behind Gen. Kainerugaba’s 2031 bid in recent days, including former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, and former opposition legislator Odonga Otto. Gen. Kainerugaba, who currently serves as the country’s top military officer and is the son of President Yoweri Museveni, has confirmed his name will appear on the 2031 presidential ballot.
While PLU maintains it operates as a civic organisation within the framework of the ruling National Resistance Movement rather than as an independent political party, observers note that the widening coalition of business and political figures around Kainerugaba points to intensifying positioning ahead of the 2031 succession race.
