By: Ollus Ndomu
Uganda, an east African country of about 44.27 million people has from 2014 seen massive human rights violations, crackdowns and incremental police and army brutality against those opposing Museveni’s iron fist rule. President Yoweri Museveni, 76, usurped power by an armed uprising in 1986 and has since then defied all political laws of gravity which have felled other life-presidents across the continent.
Early years of the Museveni presidency were accompanied by a long period of peace and record developmental changes which have at least managed to erase terrifying memories of historical massacres. But worse than his predecessors whom he criticized blatantly before rising to power, Museveni has maintained his grip on power by encouraging a personality cult, employing patronage, compromising independent institutions, sidelining and witch-hunting perceived political opponents.
At the height of calls for him to step down in 2016, the ex-rebel leader asked: “How can I go out of a banana plantation I have planted that has started bearing fruits?”
Museveni, the reformer now turned autocrat has constantly prolonged his stay in power saying his exit would bring back Milton Obote and Idi Amin’s Uganda of wars and senseless killings. Backed by his National Resistance Army, Museveni toppled Tito Okello in 1986, setting himself a liberator and peace-bringer that many Ugandans aged 40 and above have been raised on, and are reminded of at every opportunity.
A once darling of western countries is also a father and loving grandfather who is popular among youths by his nickname “Sevo.” It is almost clear that Uganda is a personal house for president Museveni who fondly calls his people Bazukulu (meaning grandchildren in the Luganda language).
Despite his age and his increasingly souring international relations with major world powers, the grandfather seems more determined than ever to remain in power come what may. In his campaigns ahead of the 2021 January elections, for which he was facing accusations of vote rigging, corruption including opposition intimidation, Museveni traversed the country, dishing out money, launching factories, opening roads and new markets.
Suppression of Opposition
Alarmed at the possibility of losing power to his relatively youthful challenger, Bobi Wine, General Museveni showed his vitality by clamping down on opposition leaders and supporters, before, during and after the January 14, 2021 vote. Pop star now politician, Bobi Wine faced the ex-rebel leader in the bloodiest election which left several hundreds of people killed during campaigns.
Commenting on state sponsored bloodshed, which rocked the just ended political campaigns, a leading human rights lawyer based in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, Nicholas Opiyo told World Politics Review that, “The Ugandan state has taken Bobi Wine’s campaign as an insurrection.”
“They have taken a war posture,” added Opiyo.
Arrested for several times and released without being charged, Wine told his supporters in an interview: “We persist because we are desperate for freedom.”
“We must be free, or at least die trying,” the 38-year-old added in a voice cracking with exhaustion and emotions.
The young presidential hopeful spoke following an incident at a political rally in which his trusted friend and music producer, Dan Magic, was hit by an exploding tear gas canister that cut his lips and nose, fractured his fingers and broke some of his teeth.
With live bullets directly fired at the windshield of Wine’s car later that fateful day, the opposition leader resorted to wearing a protective flak vest over his clothes in another campaign trial that followed.
After all this tumultuous campaign period, president Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM) party prevailed pulling 59% of the total votes cast. But Wine with 35% of the vote rejected the election outcome, calling it the most rigged election in Uganda’s history.
Contrary to Wine’s claims, Museveni dubbed the election the “most cheating-free” ever held in his country, but violent protests and a social media and internet blackout in the lead-up to the polls prove otherwise.
Reactions to Museveni’s Sixth Win
With rights bodies questioning the government on why Wine was placed under house arrest until election results were announced, the US embassy in Kampala said in a statement that the vote was tainted by harassment of opposition candidates and suppression of media and rights advocates. “A worrying trend on the course of Uganda’s democracy,” read the statement in part.Unsettled by this statement, Ugandan authorities accused US ambassador Natalie E. Brown tried to undermine the elections following her attempt to visit losing Wine while he was being held under house arrest.
Amidst the building internal tension, the US Department of State stopped short of congratulating Museveni on his victory and sent a statement drawing a tougher line on the conduct of Ugandan authorities during the election process:
“We are deeply troubled by the many credible reports of security force violence during the pre-election period and election irregularities during the polls,” said spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus in the statement. “We reiterate our intention to pursue action against those responsible for the undermining of democracy and human rights in Uganda.”
On the other hand, the United Kingdom reacted less critical to Museveni’s sixth presidential victory, which it welcomed while urging respect for human rights. In a statement, UK’s Minister for Africa, James Duddridge said:
“We ask that all parties, including the security services, but also all of Uganda’s political movements, act with restraint to ensure the peaceful resolution of disputes.”
“As a longstanding partner we urge Uganda to continue to strive to meet its own international human rights commitments.”
Speaking to DW, Africa Program director at Chatham House, Alex Vines, said the diverse reactions are indicative of how key world governments will approach relations with Uganda:
“The US has brought out a strong statement. … I think that’s an early signal that we’ll see much clearer cut values around [President-elect Joe] Biden’s activities in Africa,” he told DW.
“Compare that to the UK, who has basically made a signal that the elections had had problems, but that Ugandans should be non-violent and resolve their differences amongst themselves — that’s a very different approach coming from the former colonial power.”
The European Union like other regional governments did not send Museveni a congratulatory message on his victory, but a statement saying it “takes note of the results”. It also bemoaned the election violence and suppression of media and other stakeholders, it “regrets that the disproportionate role given to security forces during the elections brought forth violence in the pre-electoral period, harassment of opposition leaders, suppression of civil society actors and media, and the raiding of a domestic observers’ office.”
Museveni’s relations with the international community have considerably deteriorated as evidenced by absence of international observer missions. According to local tabloids, international election observer missions absented themselves as Ugandan authorities failed to accredit the missions, or implement recommendations from past missions.
Notwithstanding international sentiments disapproving of his leadership style, president Museveni remains popular among government officials, army generals and friends.
John Nagenda, uncles Museveni’s closest friend and advisor, said in an interview that the president’s selflessness is one reason for his ability to inspire loyalty:
“He was prepared to die for Uganda. I would say that we are very lucky to have him,” the 82-year-old Nagenda said.
“Most of the other people that I know who have been presidents, they wanted to do it for themselves; they wanted the glory. But Museveni wants to do [it] for the country and continent… he is an Africanist.”
Even amid the prevailing international condemnation against him, Museveni remains an admirable and icon worth imitating to some African leaders such Zambia’s Edgar Lungu.
