Former Aruu County MP and lawyer Odonga Otto has launched a sharp attack on Uganda’s concentration of presidential power, arguing that President Yoweri Museveni has accumulated so much authority that almost every institution in the country appears to operate under his shadow.
In a sarcastic remark that is likely to trigger heated political debate, Otto joked that the President had become so powerful that the only thing beyond his reach was changing another person’s gender, using the punchline to highlight what he sees as the dangerous consequences of excessive executive control.
Speaking on NBS TV’s Frontline programme, Otto warned that Uganda was paying a heavy political price for allowing too much power to accumulate in the hands of one individual, arguing that the imbalance threatens the independence of institutions meant to hold the executive accountable.
The former legislator suggested that the growing dominance of the presidency had raised serious questions about the effectiveness of constitutional checks and balances, with his remarks putting the spotlight back on the long-running debate over presidential authority, institutional independence and the need for meaningful political reforms in Uganda.
“I think we are paying the ultimate price of centralisation of power in the hands of the President. The President has become so powerful that the only thing he cannot do is change a person’s gender,” Otto remarked.
His comments highlighted his concerns about executive dominance and the need for constitutional reforms to strengthen the separation of powers in Uganda.
During the discussion, Otto also called for dialogue between the government and the opposition, pointing to the importance of engagement in addressing the country’s political challenges.
