KAMPALA, Uganda—Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday dismissed his prime minister and potential rival in a move viewed as an attempt to keep a firm grip on power as the long-serving leader comes under increasing pressure from within his own party.
The office of Mr. Museveni, who has been the country’s president for 28 years, one of the longest leadership tenure’s on the continent, said prime minister Amama Mbabazi had been dismissed, but didn’t give a reason. Mr. Museveni has appointed Health Minister Ruhakana Rugunda as the new prime minister, according to his office.
A government spokesman declined further comment.
The removal of Mr. Mbabazi, who remains the secretary-general for the ruling National Resistance Movement party brings to an end his fractious four-year tenure. Mr. Mbabazi had once been a close ally of the president, but became a strong critic of arrangements being made to succeed Mr. Museveni, including the promotion of his soldier son.
The 70-year old president had also accused Mr. Mbabazi of using “illegal means” to campaign for the presidency such as raising campaign funds from foreign countries. Mr. Mbabazi denies this.
In an attempt to squeeze out Mr. Mbabazi, ruling party law makers earlier this year signed a document endorsing Mr. Museveni to stand as the party’s sole candidate in the 2016 presidential election. But such a move shows how Mr. Museveni’s grip on the party, and the country, maybe loosening.
“The contradiction between the two men was getting out of hand” said Charles Rwomushana, a Ugandan-based political analyst. “After clipping Mbabazi’s hands, Museveni’s next task is to carefully manage the aftermath to prevent the party from splitting.”
The dismissal of Mr. Museveni’s friend-turned-foe follows a crackdown on protests against his authoritarian regime led by veteran opposition leader, Kizza Besigye. In 2011, Mr. Museveni relied on the military to violently suppress months of street protests led by Mr. Besigye who was arrested for more than a dozen times, beaten and even shot.
Amid these political challenges, Mr. Museveni has fast tracked the promotion of his 40-year old son, Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. He now heads an elite military unit in charge of the security of the president as well as vital assets, and installations including the oil fields, along the country’s western border.
Brig. Kainerugaba hasn’t stated whether he wants to succeed his father but Mr. Museveni’s supporters say that doing so would be his constitutional right to seek a position within the government, just like other citizens.
Once hailed for stabilizing the once shattered east African nation, Mr. Museveni has come under fire for clinging to power—allegedly by any violent means. Last year, the former head of the country’s intelligence, David Sejusa caused a furore when he claimed that there were plans to assassinate top government officials, including Mr. Mbabazi, for opposing Mr. Museveni’s plans to nominate his son as his successor.
Mr. Sejusa fled to exile in London after local newspapers reported his remarks in documents he admitted were leaked. Mr. Museveni has rejected the allegations and has moved to seek Mr. Sejusa’s extradition from the U.K.
Write to Nicholas Bariyo at nicholas.bariyo@wsj.com
Wall Street Journal.