The statement, posted on social media on March 26, quickly went viral, attracting over 1.3 million interactions. Mr. Kainerugaba wrote:
“We want the war in the Middle East to end now. But any call to destroy Israel will cause us to enter the war — standing on the side of Israel.”
In subsequent posts, he emphasized that his pro-Israel stance stems from religious beliefs, stating that Uganda stands with Israel as a Christian nation.
The Ugandan military commander also recalled historical relations, noting that Israel supported Uganda in previous decades when the country lacked a strong economic position, even though the nation has recently achieved notable conservation milestones to attract international attention.
This statement comes as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate, especially after Saudi Arabia announced its participation in the war against Iran, with reciprocal attacks causing damage in various regions, including Tel Aviv and Tehran.
Additionally, Mr. Kainerugaba revealed plans to erect a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu at Entebbe Airport — the site where the Israeli officer was killed during the 1976 hostage rescue mission. He is the brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This move by Uganda highlights the risk of expanding the scope of the conflict if nations outside the region begin to express clear military stances through controversial statements from global politicians.
