The son of Uganda’s aging leader, Yoweri Museveni, has said he intends to stand for the presidency in 2026.

It is the first time the outspoken general has given a timeline for replacing his father, who has ruled the east African country for 37 years.

Uganda’s opposition has long accused Museveni of seeking to impose a monarchy on Uganda and claimed he was grooming his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to take over from him.

Museveni has denied such accusations.

Currently, a special presidential advisor for special operations, the 48-year-old general is known for firing off controversial tweets that have earned him reprimands from his father.

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Kainerugaba quickly deleted the messages about his presidential aspirations, which he had posted to Twitter late on Wednesday.

“You have wanted me to say it forever! Okay, in the name of Jesus Christ my God, in the name of all the young people of Uganda and the world, and in the name of our great revolution, I will stand for the Presidency in 2026,” Kainerugaba wrote.

In another tweet, he expressed his impatience at waiting so long to replace his father.

“The Prime Minister of the UK is 42 years old, and the Prime Minister of Finland is 37 years. S

ome of us are hitting 50 years old. We are tired of waiting forever,” he said.

Kainerugaba previously served as commander of land forces but was removed from that position after threatening to invade neighbouring Kenya, which he later said was a joke.

Museveni has not yet said whether he intends to stand again in 2026, although his supporters have encouraged him to do so.

Reuters/NAN

Police sources in Durban, South Africa have confirmed rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on Florida Road on Friday night.

Another person believed to be AKA’s bodyguard, was also wounded, while another unidentified person, who is understood to be a close friend of AKA, has been shot dead.

Earlier, before provincial police confirmed the incident, IOL had independently confirmed details of the shooting from well-placed police sources, who could not be named as they are not permitted to speak to the media.

Later, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed police were investigating two murder cases and they were yet to establish the motives for the murders.

Without naming Forbes, he confirmed one of the deceased was a popular musician.

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It is understood that AKA was standing outside the Wish Restaurant when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.

Two unknown cars are believed to have opened fire just before 10pm.

Police had cordoned off the area when an IOL team arrived at the scene on Friday night.

Speaking to IOL, stunned patrons at a nearby restaurant said AKA had been standing outside Wish when he was gunned down.

Garrith Jamieson, a spokesperson for ALS Paramedics, said Florida Road has been closed off after the shooting incident Florida Road where two people have been confirmed deceased

Jamieson said amongst the deceased was a “famous rapper”.

The identity of the second person shot dead is unknown at this stage, but he is understood to be a close friend of AKA.

According to social media posts, AKA was due to perform at a Durban night club, YUGO, where he was expected to perform as part of his birthday celebrations.

His close friend Da Les, took to social media to express shock.

Samuel Akinbodunse, a South Africa-based Nigerian pastor, has stirred controversy in Zimbabwe with a prophecy that Nelson Chamisa, leader of the opposition party, would win the country’s 2023 presidential election.

The Pretoria-based pastor, who is also the founder of Samuel Akinbodunse Ministries, said in a Facebook video on January 4 that God told him that Nelson Chamisa’s time had come.

Chamisa, 44, lost to Emmerson Mnangagwa, the incumbent president in 2018.

Akinbodunse had said that God told him that it was not yet time for Chamisa in 2018. He told his congregants that Mnangagwa would be president.

He added that Chamisa would be victorious after several gruelling legal challenges in 2023.

“Zimbabwe. Some time ago, the Lord said to me that I should speak to Chamisa to go and be silent and that it was not yet time for him to come as president… I said that Mnangagwa was the one that God was taking in order to show Zimbabwe the way,” Akinbodunse said.

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“But this time around, the Lord said to me that Honourable Chamisa’s time has come. So I see this man as the next president, but it will be very hard. It will be a battle from court to court. Many lives will be lost.

“There will be a great fight on the street. There will be burning of tyres, burning of properties; but at last, victory shall be given to the man.

“Please write my prophecy down.”

The Nigerian pastor also said the election’s outcome would result in a lot of bloodshed on the streets of Zimbabwe.

Akinbodunse’s prophecy has, however, sparked controversy and divided Zimbabweans on social media.

While some Zimbabweans welcomed the prophecy, saying that they could not wait for it to come to pass, others questioned it.

“God has spoken. Mr @nelsonchamisa is the next President of Zimbabwe”, @alistarchibanda, a Twitter user, wrote

“‘Psalm 118:22-23 says, ‘The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. ‘Ini I believe in prophecy especially from authentic prophets like this one. So let it be for sure. Ngazvitodaro wena.’”

Believe Chikom, another Zimbabwean Twitter user, disagreed with the prophesy, saying it was a mere prediction that might end up not becoming a reality.

“Predicting is not prophesying; soothsaying is not prophesying either. A prophesy is there to warn and to caution the people to get things right with God. God sent a lying spirit to a prophet, 1 kings 22 — tell Ahab that he would win in battle against Assyria — only to have him killed,’” Chikom wrote.

“There has to be a ‘proofread’ and I am sure you knew that before making such needless declarations,” BAWSE, another Twitter user, said.