From Term Limits Critic to Seven-Term Contender: Museveni’s Relentless Grip on Power
For more than three-quarters of Uganda’s population, those under the age of 40, there has only ever been one president. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who seized power in 1986 after an armed rebellion, remains firmly in charge nearly four decades later. Now 81 years old, the man who once condemned African leaders for clinging to power is positioning himself for an unprecedented seventh term.
Museveni’s long rule has delivered a mix of stability, development, and deep controversy. While supporters credit him with restoring peace after years of chaos and driving economic progress, critics argue that his continued dominance has come at the expense of democratic institutions, political freedoms, and generational change.
A Revolutionary Born of Turbulence
Born in 1944 to a family of cattle keepers in Ankole, western Uganda, Museveni came of age during a period marked by colonial rule, post-independence instability, and brutal dictatorship. Uganda’s early years under Milton Obote and later Idi Amin were defined by violence and repression, experiences that shaped Museveni’s worldview and political resolve.
In his memoirs, Museveni recounts growing up amid fear and uncertainty, noting that survival mattered more than formalities such as knowing one’s exact date of birth. His political awakening took shape at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, where he studied economics and political science and mingled with revolutionary thinkers from across the region.
His prominence rose sharply in the 1970s after Idi Amin seized power in a coup. Museveni helped form the Front for National Salvation, one of several rebel groups that, backed by Tanzania, eventually overthrew Amin, whose eight-year rule is estimated to have claimed up to 400,000 lives.
From Rebel Leader to Western Ally
After Amin’s fall, Obote returned to power through elections Museveni claimed were rigged. Rejecting the outcome, Museveni launched a guerrilla war in 1981. Five years later, his National Resistance Movement (NRM) captured Kampala, installing him as president.
The early years of Museveni’s rule brought tangible gains. Uganda experienced steady economic growth, averaging over 6% annually for a decade. Primary school enrolment doubled, and a high-profile anti-HIV/AIDS campaign helped reduce infection rates. These achievements earned Museveni admiration in Western capitals, where he was seen as a reformer and stabilising force in a volatile region.
That reputation began to erode in the late 1990s. Uganda’s involvement, alongside Rwanda, in the Democratic Republic of Congo war drew international criticism, as did growing concerns over human rights and political repression at home.
The Abandonment of Limits
In 1986, Museveni famously declared that Africa’s biggest problem was “leaders who want to overstay in power.” Yet by 2005, Uganda’s constitution was amended to remove presidential term limits. Twelve years later, the age cap for presidential candidates was scrapped following a chaotic parliamentary session that saw MPs physically brawl on the floor of the House.
These changes cleared the path for Museveni’s lifelong presidency, reinforcing fears that democratic safeguards were being dismantled to suit one man’s ambitions.
Silencing Dissent
Museveni’s critics accuse him of steadily weakening independent institutions, particularly the judiciary and the media. Allegations of “cadre judges” loyal to the ruling party persist, and judges who rule against the government have faced intimidation. In one notorious incident in 2005, armed security forces stormed Uganda’s High Court to re-arrest suspects who had just been acquitted.
Despite Uganda’s vibrant media landscape, journalists and outlets have faced raids, closures, and detentions, creating an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship.
Opposition figures have borne the brunt of state pressure. Kizza Besigye, once Museveni’s personal doctor and later his fiercest rival, has been arrested multiple times since first challenging him in 2001. In 2024, Besigye vanished in Nairobi, only to reappear days later in a Ugandan military court. He remains detained on treason charges he strongly denies.
Pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine has emerged as the most formidable symbol of youth resistance. His rallies attract massive crowds, particularly among young Ugandans desperate for change. Yet his political rise has been met with arrests, violence, and repeated prosecutions, most of which were eventually dropped. During the 2021 election cycle, security forces fired live ammunition at protesters, citing COVID-19 restrictions. A UN report later accused authorities of abducting opposition supporters in unmarked vans.
Stability vs. Stagnation
Museveni’s supporters insist that Uganda’s relative peace is proof of his necessity. The country now hosts more than 1.7 million refugees fleeing conflict in neighbouring states, making it Africa’s largest refugee-hosting nation.
“He has kept us alive all these years,” said one supporter who unexpectedly attended a Bobi Wine rally. Others argue that leadership should come with age and experience, dismissing younger challengers as unprepared.
Museveni’s government has also intensified efforts to attract foreign investment, signing deals with China, the UK, and the UAE. His stated ambition is to transform Uganda into a middle-income country by 2040.
The Question of Succession
As Museveni ages, concerns are mounting that Uganda is drifting toward dynastic rule. His wife, Janet Museveni, serves as education minister, while his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, heads the army. The enrolment of Museveni’s grandson into the military has further fuelled speculation about a family succession plan.
Though the NRM remains tight-lipped, many believe Gen Kainerugaba, known for his erratic social media posts and provocative statements, could eventually take over. Such a move, critics warn, could undermine the stability Museveni claims as his greatest achievement.
Unstoppable, or Unchallenged?
Despite mounting criticism, Museveni appears undeterred. He presents himself as both a seasoned statesman and a paternal figure, affectionately calling young supporters Bazukulu—his “grandchildren.” To counter concerns about his age, he has publicly showcased his physical fitness, even performing press-ups on camera.
“I have been here with you for 40 years,” he told Ugandans recently. “Have you ever heard that I have been in hospital?”
As he campaigns for yet another term, Museveni exudes confidence. In a New Year’s Eve address, he urged voters to turn out, declaring the ruling party “unstoppable.”
Whether Uganda’s future lies in continuity or change remains uncertain. What is clear is that the man who once warned against leaders overstaying their welcome now stands poised to extend one of Africa’s longest reigns even further.
