CDF Muhoozi shares updates on his son's Sandhurst military course

SANDHURST - The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has revealed that his son, Ruhamya Kainerugaba, is doing “an excellent job” at the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, commonly known simply as Sandhurst.

Muhoozi, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, shared the family updates   in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday (May 28).

“My beloved son, Ruhamya, is doing an excellent job in Sandhurst. All good Ugandans should pray for him every day,” he stated, sharing a photo of the son with other  armed cadets dressed in combat uniform.

In another post with himself as part of a group of armed young men in military combat, 
the CDF stated, “Father and son going through the same hardships. Separated by 27 years. God bless Ruhamya.”

On February 28, Muhoozi also shared a photo of himself with fellow Sandhurst cadets on X.

In that post, he said: “At the end of one year of gruelling training at Sandhurst (1999-2000), I was amongst the most popular cadets for that year. My instructors also said I was amongst the top 5% of cadets for my year.”

On July 21, 2025, Gen. Muhoozi announced that Ruhamya had joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) a month earlier.

Via his  X account, he stated, “I’m extremely happy to announce that after 31 years in God’s Army, UPDF, God has blessed the House of [President Yoweri] Museveni with another soldier as of last month. Private Ruhamya Kainerugaba, may Almighty God bless him as He did me".

In April 2024, as Gen. Muhoozi celebrated his 50th birthday, his father, President Yoweri Museveni, praised  him for joining the army in August 1999 out of patriotism.
During a private birthday party hosted at  State House, Entebbe, he also hailed Kainerugaba for his contribution to the Forces.

“I want to thank Muhoozi because he listens to me. When I advised him to join the army, he spent one year with his uncle Gen [Salim] Saleh doing business, but I had told him my own view (that) whether you want to do business or not, army formation helps you to strengthen your character,” the President said.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba and colleagues during training at Sandhurst military academy.

Museveni, who is also the commander-in-chief of the UPDF, informed the gathering that he advised Muhoozi that joining the army should be his priority.

“He (Muhoozi) agreed and went to Sandhurst [military school]. I am sure it helped him greatly. I thank him for listening to my advice. When he came back, he added value to the army because he was in the army for patriotism and excellence,” the President said.

According to Museveni, careerism, job seeking and searching for financial benefits in the army are some of the factors that create challenges in African forces.

“Muhoozi was not looking for any of those; he was looking for patriotism and excellence of the army,” he said.

At the same function, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Museveni, noted that Muhoozi grew physically and strong in character with dedication to serve his homeland because he loved and obeyed the Lord.

“At 50 years of age, a husband of a beautiful wife, a father of four wonderful grown children and a Chief of Defence Forces of our nation, I believe that blessings and a sense of direction still originate from his relationship with the Lord,” she said.

Gen. Muhoozi’s wife, Charlotte, praised her husband for contributing significantly to the safety of Uganda and its people. She also praised him for professionalizing the army and improving the welfare of soldiers.

“It is true to say you leave an indelible footprint in whichever military office you occupy,” she stated. 

Prestigious Sandhurst:

Since 1812, the prestigious training academy, which is on the Surrey/Berkshire border, has been where the British Army trains its officers.

According to the BBC, it has a gruelling 44-week course testing the physical and intellectual skills of officer cadets and imbuing them with the values of the British Army.

Alongside would-be British officers, the academy has a tradition of drawing cadets from overseas.