First Son and President Museveni’s Senior presidential advisor on special operations Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba has said the opposition People Power has always tried to be like him but failed.
Gen. Muhoozi said, the People Power movement tried to copy “his” red beret but ended up failing. He said the red beret which People Power wants to copy, belongs to him and Gen. Salim Saleh.
“People Power, we just laugh! You have always tried to be like me but you can’t. Copying my beret i introduced to the UPDF, poorly trying to copy me. Why don’t you coin your own beret? The maroon/red beret is ours. Muhoozi and Afande Saleh!” Gen Muhoozi posted on twitter.
Upon its inception, the People power movement led by Hon Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine picked the red beret as its signature, calling it a “symbol of resistance” despite being similar to one worn by the national army UPDF.
The Uganda government moved and designated the red beret as official military clothing. It also announced that anyone found wearing it would be jailed, a move that essentially banned the uniform of Bobi Wine and his supporters.
However, what prompted Gen Muhoozi to come out strong about this issue at this time is not clear, but it could be the continued use of the red beret by Bobi Wine and People Power supporters.
Bobi Wine has already expressed aspirations to run for presidency in the forthcoming 2021 general election against the incumbent president Yoweri Museveni.
According to the gazette dated September 18, the sale or wearing of any attire which resembles the army uniform is also banned.
Prohibited items, besides the red beret, include side caps, bush hats, ceremonial forage caps and camouflaged baseball caps.
“It is prohibited to wear or use any decoration supplied or authorized for use by any member of the defence forces or any decoration so nearly resembling that decoration and likely to deceive the public,” the gazette says.