The Tweeting General: Personalized Digital Statecraft, Military Power, and Autocratic Succession in Uganda

Abstract

This study investigates the role of personalized digital statecraft in reshaping military power and autocratic succession in Uganda, focusing on the social media communications of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Museveni. Employing a qualitative single-case design with interviews and archival analysis, the research reveals how General Muhoozi’s direct use of Twitter bypasses constitutional and statutory limits that prohibit active-duty military personnel from political engagement and unilateral foreign policy declarations. His personalized digital communication creates a parallel authority that undermines civilian control, destabilizes regional diplomacy, and fractures military cohesion. The findings demonstrate that this digitally mediated personalization of military power accelerates the erosion of constitutional norms and institutional integrity, fueling volatile succession dynamics within Uganda’s late-stage autocracy. The study recommends strengthening legal regulations on military social media use, reinforcing civilian oversight, and addressing parallel military structures to restore democratic accountability and regional stability.