Muhoozi trims Balaam’s wings: ‘Don’t bother drunkards, let them booze as they want’

What the report says

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, has publicly pushed back against new limits on bar and nightclub operating hours introduced by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi. In a late Monday post on his official X account, Muhoozi said the choice of when bars open and close should be left to the business owners, while stressing that violence and fighting in drinking places would not be tolerated.

The Watchdog Uganda report says Balaam had recently issued directives aimed at tightening alcohol sales and nightlife operations, including a ban on early-morning drinking, a requirement that bars on working days not open before 3 p.m., and tougher action against serving alcohol to minors. The article adds that, in some upcountry towns, local leaders and security personnel had already begun enforcing the rules, leading to closures and some disputes with patrons.

Muhoozi’s intervention effectively reversed the time-based restrictions and shifted the emphasis to public order rather than operating hours. Balaam responded to the message by accepting the directive. The exchange has been read as a sign of Muhoozi’s influence on a routine policy issue. More broadly, it highlights the long-running flexibility of Uganda’s nightlife sector, especially in Kampala and other urban areas, where many bars and clubs already operate late into the night.