A senior US senator has called for sanctions against Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as Washington reassesses its security relationship with Kampala following disputed

Senator Jim Risch, the Republican chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a strong statement on January 23, 2026, responding to Uganda’s presidential election held on January 15, 2026.

Senator Risch has called for a reassessment of U.S. relations with Uganda following what he described as “hollow” elections designed to legitimize President Museveni’s seventh term in power.

In a strongly worded statement, Senator Risch says the Ugandan government relies on political violence, abductions, imprisonment, intimidation of opponents, and the misuse of state resources to maintain control, despite being a key U.S. security partner in the region.

Risch warned that Uganda is increasingly becoming a source of regional instability, citing its alleged involvement in destabilizing activities in South Sudan, and drawing parallels with recent elections in Tanzania. He said the trajectory of both countries raises concerns for upcoming elections elsewhere in the region, including Ethiopia and Kenya.

While acknowledging the Trump administration’s pursuit of commercial and security interests in East Africa, Risch says those goals will be harder to sustain without accountability, urging the administration to review whether sanctions are warranted against specific actors, including President Museveni’s son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, under existing U.S. authorities.