The African Leadership Organisation has honoured the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, with the Special African Leadership Award for Defence and National Security Excellence.
The award was presented during the 15th African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards ceremony held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday evening at the five-star Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel from February 27–28, 2026, under the theme, “Leadership for a New Africa: Forging Our Peace, Owning our Narrative.”
The event brought together leaders and stakeholders from across the continent and beyond.
Dr Ken Giami, founder and Executive Chairman of the African Leadership Organisation, described Gen Muhoozi as a “rising and shining star of Africa.”
He said the award recognises the General’s distinguished service, military reforms and strategic contributions to Uganda’s national and regional security over the past two decades.
Giami highlighted Muhoozi’s service as a commander of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force, including his earlier tenures as Commander of the Special Operations Forces and Commander of Land Forces, where he strengthened counterterrorism capacity, professionalised elite units and enhanced regional security cooperation.
Muhoozi was particularly cited for his role in operations in Somalia under successive African Union missions, currently operating as the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia.
He was also credited for involvement in securing peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo under Operation Shujaa and in South Sudan, where the UPDF has maintained deployments since 2013 and again in 2024 to secure Juba amid renewed tensions between government forces and opposition groups allied to Vice President Riek Machar.
“Your role as CDF and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations has cemented your legacy in Uganda’s security architecture, contributing to operational modernisation, improved national and regional security, and robust defence diplomacy across the East African region,” Giami said.
Gen Muhoozi was represented at the ceremony by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Colonel Chris Magezi.
In an acceptance speech read on his behalf, he expressed honour at receiving the award from continental leaders united by a pan-African vision.
“As pan-Africanists, we should continue to strengthen cooperation across different fields on the continent including in the political, economic, social and security realms. This will enable us to fight and defend Africa and all the black people of the world more effectively,” he said.
Other prominent awardees included Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who received the African of the Year Award; Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, honoured as African Political Leader of the Year; Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, who won the African Inspirational Leader of the Year Award; and Angolan Vice President Esperança Maria Eduardo Francisco da Costa, voted African Leader of the Year.
Retired Ghanaian statesman Nana Akufo-Addo attended the ceremony and was honoured with the African Legacy Leader Award.
The annual African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards convene policymakers, private sector leaders and thought leaders to recognise individuals advancing a pan-African vision through service and leadership.
The 2026 ceremony in Accra attracted more than 400 delegates from across Africa and the international community.
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