Back in 1998, when Aggrey Awori, then MP for Samia Bugwe, questioned the manner in which Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the President's son, had been recruited into the army, his father quickly jumped to his defence.

Addressing journalists at his country home in Rwakitura, Museveni said that his son was not a soldier. The President said Muhoozi was a mere Local Defence Unit officer whose position did not warrant any debate. He added that the students Muhoozi was alleged to have recruited were in fact being integrated in the LDU force in their areas.

"I see you writing that Muhoozi is a soldier, where do you get that? He is what I would call an LDU," Museveni said, according to news reports then.

However, last week while responding to an interview Dr Kizza Besigye had with Daily Monitor, Museveni's version of how Muhoozi joined the army changed. He said Muhoozi, having completed his degree at Nottingham University, UK, expressed interest to join the army.

"Why would any patriotic Ugandan be unhappy with that? If my son is not interested in the army to defend Uganda, having spent all my adult life doing nothing else but that, that would be proof that our system is a failure," Museveni said.

Today Muhoozi heads the Special Forces Group, the elite army unit that protects the President as well as important installations in the country.