Yoweri Museveni, the Ugandan president who has ruled for nearly four decades, is a complex figure shrouded in both admiration and controversy. Now 79 years old, his future, and the future of Uganda, remains a source of speculation and intrigue.
On one hand, Museveni hints at retirement, his gaze drawn towards his sprawling countryside estate in Rwakitura, where hundreds of cattle graze. He claims disinterest in holding onto power, painting himself as a man content with a simpler life.
“Rwakitura is always waiting for me,” he assures in an interview, “very comfortable. I have never needed a job.”
Yet, beneath this veneer of detachment lies a seasoned politician, a master of maneuvering who has tightly woven the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party with the state apparatus. While whispers of potential successors like his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, rise within the NRM, Museveni maintains a firm grip.
His two conditions for retirement reveal a man not so ready to relinquish control. Firstly, the NRM must deem him unfit, a decision unlikely to come from a party he effectively leads. Secondly, his vision for a prosperous and secure Africa, particularly Uganda, seems to indefinitely extend his term.
In the 2021 elections, Museveni dismissed his opponents as mere “wheelbarrows,” highlighting his perceived indispensability. His past pronouncements of a peaceful handover in 2031 now ring hollow, replaced by an unspoken, yet palpable, intent to stay the course.
So, does Museveni truly yearn for the tranquility of Rwakitura, or is it a carefully crafted mirage? Only time will tell if he packs his bags or remains the enigmatic titan at Uganda’s helm.
