Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (born 1944) is a Ugandan politician and the President of Uganda since January 1986. Over his long tenure, he has been credited with bringing stability and economic growth to Uganda, but has also himself become a symbol of the challenges of entrenched power and limited political renewal. (Britannica)

Early Life and Education

Museveni was born in the Mbarra district (often cited as western Uganda) to a cattle-farming family. He attended missionary-run schools and then studied political science and economics at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, earning a B.A. in 1970. (Britannica)

Rise to Power

When Idi Amin came to power in Uganda in 1971, Museveni went into exile in Tanzania. There he founded the armed group Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) which contributed to Amin’s overthrow in 1979. After the controversial 1980 elections, he formed the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its armed wing the National Resistance Army (NRA) and waged guerrilla war until seizing Kampala in January 1986. (Britannica)

Presidency and Governance

Museveni declared himself President on January 26, 1986. He was formally elected in 1996, and subsequently re-elected in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021. Constitutional amendments removed presidential term-limits (2005) and later the presidential age ceiling (2017), clearing the way for his extended rule. (Britannica)

Under his leadership Uganda experienced periods of economic growth, infrastructure improvement, and notable advances in public health (including early success in combating HIV/AIDS). (Britannica)

Controversies and Criticism

Museveni’s long rule has drawn criticism for creeping authoritarianism, limited political openness, and the suppression of dissent. Reports cite electoral irregularities, harassment of opposition, and prolonged military dominance in politics. (Britannica)

Regional and Foreign Policy

In foreign affairs, Museveni has played an active role in regional conflicts and integration efforts. He has been involved, for example, in military operations in neighbouring Congo and engagement with rebel groups in other African states. These actions have generated both praise and criticism. (Britannica)

Legacy and Continuing Rule

As one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, Museveni’s legacy is mixed: celebrated for bringing stability and growth, while also criticised for limiting change and entrenching his own power. His continued presidency raises important questions about democracy, succession and generational change in Uganda.

Citations

• “Yoweri Museveni.” Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yoweri--Museveni

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (born 1944) is a Ugandan politician and the President of Uganda since 1986, having seized power after a successful five-year guerrilla war. As the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), he is the party's presidential candidate for the 2026-2031 term. The NRM's manifesto for this period, titled "PROTECTING THE GAINS AS WE MAKE A QUALITATIVE LEAP INTO HIGH MIDDLE INCOME STATUS," outlines a comprehensive vision to consolidate past achievements and propel Uganda towards a $500 billion economy.

Political Journey and Ideology

Museveni's political consciousness was shaped by early experiences with colonial oppression and the divisive policies of collaborator chiefs. His activism began at university in Dar es Salaam (1967-1970), where he co-founded the University Students’ African Revolutionary Front (USARF) and immersed himself in Pan-Africanist thought. He entered Ugandan politics as a deliberate stand against tyranny, mobilizing the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) to help oust Idi Amin in 1979. Following what he describes as rigged elections in 1980, he launched the National Resistance Army (NRA) guerrilla struggle on February 6, 1981. The NRA captured Kampala on January 26, 1986, and Museveni was sworn in as President.

His ideology is anchored on the NRM's four core principles: Patriotism (love for Uganda), Pan-Africanism (love for Africa and the pursuit of continental unity), Socio-Economic Transformation, and Democracy. He attributes Uganda's post-1986 recovery and growth to an emphasis on citizens' interests rather than identity-based (tribe, religion) politics.

Vision for Uganda (2026-2031)

The manifesto presents Museveni's vision for a "qualitative leap" forward, centered on seven key pillars derived from Uganda's journey of recovery, expansion, diversification, and entry into the knowledge economy. These are:

1. Peace (Obusiriize): The foundational prerequisite for prosperity, which the NRM has maintained for 40 years.
2. Development (Entunguuka): Investment in economic and social infrastructure (roads, railways, electricity, schools, hospitals) to lower business costs.
3. Wealth (Obugaiga): Emphasizing creation of individual, family, and corporate wealth as the primary driver of jobs and prosperity.
4. Jobs (Emirimo): Moving beyond colonial-era "office job" mentality to recognize wealth creation in agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT as the true source of employment.
5. Services (Obuweereza): Ensuring the delivery of quality government services like security, education, and healthcare to citizens.
6. Markets: Rejecting sectarianism and pursuing a united Ugandan, East African, and African market to ensure prosperity for Ugandan producers.
7. Political Federation: Pursuing East African political integration as the ultimate guarantee of strategic security against external threats.

Key Policy Pillars and Promises

The manifesto's programmatic focus is organized around five key areas:

1. Growing the Economy and Creating Wealth

The central mission is to double the economy's size and ensure every adult Ugandan is a producer of a good or service. Key strategies include:

• Commercializing Agriculture: Enrolling the remaining 33% of subsistence households into the money economy. This involves guiding enterprise selection (promoting high-value and large-scale farming), massive investment in irrigation, agricultural mechanization, post-harvest management, and value addition. A stark example given is that Uganda earned $2.2 billion from raw coffee exports in 2024/25 but would have earned $14 billion if it were processed.
• Investing in Manufacturing: Moving from basic to secondary and tertiary manufacturing. The NRM promises to reduce electricity costs to 5 US cents/kWh for manufacturers, establish new industrial parks, and enforce the "Buy Uganda, Build Uganda" (BUBU) policy.
• Adding Value to Minerals and Oil & Gas: Banning raw mineral exports, completing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) for first oil, and constructing a refinery and petrochemical park.
• Developing Tourism, ICT, and the Creative Arts: Aggressively branding Uganda, investing in tourism infrastructure, expanding internet connectivity, reducing data costs, and supporting young talent in arts and sports (including enforcing copyright laws and capitalizing an artists' fund).
• Wealth Creation Programs: Continuation and expansion of flagship initiatives:
  • Parish Development Model (PDM): Providing Shs 100 million annually to each of the 10,589 parishes as revolving capital, with specific allocations for women (30%), youth (30%), PWDs (10%), and the elderly (10%).
  • Emyooga: Providing seed capital for 18 specialized enterprise categories like boda-boda riders, carpenters, and welders.
  • Capitalizing the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), the Agriculture Credit Facility, and creating new funds for women entrepreneurs (GROW project) and exporters (INVITE project).

2. Infrastructure Development

The NRM commits to continued massive investment in infrastructure as an enabler for wealth creation.

• Transport: Completing numerous ongoing road projects, expressways, and bridges. A major shift is the move to a multi-modal system: completing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Kampala to Malaba, rehabilitating the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR), constructing a light rail for Kampala, developing Bukasa and Majanji ports, and further capitalizing Uganda Airlines.
• Energy: Increasing generation capacity through new hydropower, solar, wind, and a planned nuclear power plant (8,600 MW). The focus is on achieving 80% access by 2040 and reducing costs for manufacturers.
• Affordable Housing: Developing land with infrastructure for private developers and capitalizing the National Housing and Construction Corporation to address rapid urbanization.

3. Human Development

Focusing on education, health, water, and the environment.

• Education: Implementing universal free education in government primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions. The manifesto promises to stop illegal fee charges in urban UPE/USE schools. It will construct more seed secondary schools, recruit more teachers, invest in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and expand the Presidential Zonal Industrial Hubs for skilling youth.
• Health: Constructing and equipping more health centers (HCIIIs, HCIVs, General and Regional Referral Hospitals), completing the Lubowa Specialised Hospital, and rolling out an e-Health system to combat theft of medicines and improve service delivery.
• Water and Environment: The goal is a clean water source in every village. This involves constructing piped water systems, boreholes, and gravity flow schemes, especially in water-stressed areas. On the environment, the NRM promises to continue protecting wetlands, increasing forest cover, and promoting alternative livelihoods to replace destructive rice growing in swamps.

4. Democracy, Good Governance, and Security

• Democracy and Decentralisation: Pledging to continue regular free and fair elections, support affirmative action for special interest groups, and strengthen local governments. The manifesto acknowledges corruption in local service delivery and promises to empower elected leaders to hold technical staff accountable.
• Fighting Corruption: Strengthening anti-corruption agencies, digitizing more government services (e.g., body cameras for police, online permit applications), and enhancing public servant salaries to combat "corruption of need."
• Security: Professionalizing and modernizing the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Police Force (UPF). This includes recruiting more personnel, improving welfare and housing, enhancing forensic and cyber capabilities, and expanding the CCTV network. The sub-county policing model will be rolled out nationwide.
• Justice and Rule of Law: Recruiting more judicial officers, constructing more courts, promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and strengthening commercial courts to resolve cases faster.
• Land Governance: Continuing the mass land titling program (Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification), issuing Certificates of Customary Ownership (CCOs), increasing the Land Fund to compensate mailo landlords and give titles to sitting tenants, and cracking down on illegal evictions and land fraud.

5. Regional Integration and Political Federation

The manifesto presents regional integration as an existential imperative for prosperity and security. It laments Africa's fragmentation into small, unviable markets and champions the East African Community (EAC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The NRM promises to:

• Work towards an EAC Political Federation and a single currency.
• Eliminate non-tariff barriers within the EAC.
• Promote the use of Kiswahili.
• Leverage AfCFTA to increase trade with other African nations.

Legacy and Continuing Rule

The manifesto frames the 2026-2031 term as the culmination of a four-decade project to stabilize, secure, and develop Uganda. It credits the NRM under Museveni's leadership for transforming a collapsed, informalized economy of $3.9 billion in 1986 into a $66.1 billion economy by 2025/26. It highlights gains such as increased life expectancy (from 43 to 68 years), reduced poverty (from 56.4% in 1992 to 16.1% in 2024), a vast expansion of the road network, and near-universal primary education enrollment.

Museveni positions himself as the guarantor of these gains, a pragmatic leader with a clear, unwavering vision. He argues that his experience and the NRM's proven track record are essential to "protect the gains" and navigate the "qualitative leap" to a high middle-income status. The manifesto concludes by asserting a 86.3% fulfillment rate of promises made in the 2021-2026 manifesto and asks Ugandans to trust the NRM to continue delivering on its historic missions of prosperity, security, and fraternity.