Yoweri Museveni

Who is Yoweri Museveni?

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician who has been President of Uganda since 29 January 1986.

Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985; however, parallels have been drawn between Museveni and his predecessors. For instance, Museveni's Public Order Management Bill is strikingly similar to the 1967 Public Order and Security Act, codified by the Obote regime, in that both bills "seek to gag dissenting views." His statements are also reminiscent of Uganda's dictatorial past: "Whoever tries to cause problems, we finish them. Besigye [an opposition leader] tried to disorganize Kampala and we gave him a little tear gas and he calmed down. He didn't need a bullet, just a little gas." Further, for someone who said, "The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power," it is quite hypocritical of him to have abolished presidential term limits, culminating in his 27-year presidential tenure. In the past, Museveni has been praised for bringing relative stability and economic growth to a country that has endured decades of government mismanagement, rebel activity and civil war; however, with an unemployment rate of 62% among the youth, his economic effectiveness has seriously come into question. His tenure has witnessed one of the most effective national responses to HIV/AIDS in Africa.