Summary:
Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of power, and the vast majority of its people live in poverty while a small elite hoards wealth.
Despite ruling for nearly four decades, the government has done little to justify its prolonged stay in power.
OP-ED: In August 1991, Soviet citizens took their national future into their own hands by flooding the streets of Moscow in defiance of martial law. An old woman called up to a young Soviet tank driver, “You can’t do this! We are the ones who fed you when you were little just leave.” And he did.
This was an object lesson in the power of ordinary people to make a difference, one that the Soviet Union and the world would not soon forget. The collapse of the Soviet Union soon followed.
Similarly, when Estonia, then a Soviet republic, defied Moscow and demanded self-government, its citizens led what was famously called “The Singing Revolution.”
Three hundred thousand people a fifth of Estonia’s population at the time gathered for a peaceful yet defiant rally in the capital, singing, “Estonian, I am… free.” Dr. Marju Lauristin, a key Estonian political leader, reacted with amusement to the surprise of a U.S. television commentator. “The strength of small people isn’t in guns,” she said. “It is in intellect, in culture, in traditions, and in self-belief.”
Uganda today faces a crisis of leadership and governance. One of the world’s poorest and most densely populated countries, it has an alarming unemployment rate among its youth. It also remains one of the most illiterate nations, plagued by a history of cruel and corrupt dictatorships.
Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of power, and the vast majority of its people live in poverty while a small elite hoards wealth. Despite ruling for nearly four decades, the government has done little to justify its prolonged stay in power. The dysfunctionality of state institutions is evident, and the people’s growing frustration is becoming impossible to ignore as seen in the ongoing Kawempe North by-election.
A government that fears its own people has resorted to terrorizing them. The Joint Anti-Terrorist Task Force of Uganda (JATT), supposedly established to combat terrorism, has instead turned its sights on civilians. Yet, despite the torture and intimidation, the resilience of Ugandans attending opposition rallies is remarkable. No level of repression can crush the spirit of a population that is both hungry and angry.
Does the government not realize that violence only breeds more violence? That repression fosters greater sympathy for the oppressed? That bloodshed fuels resentment, depression, and unrest? When a government meets its people’s suffering with arrogance and brutality, it only intensifies public outrage.
JATT’s actions foreshadow what could unfold in the 2026 elections: increased chaos and state-sponsored terrorism on the streets of Kampala. But they also paint a picture of what awaits Uganda in the post-Museveni era. Those who have sanctioned bloodshed, endorsed torture, and commanded masked enforcers will eventually be held accountable.
The unrest in Kawempe and other parts of Uganda is a direct consequence of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government’s failure to address critical issues, including the worst corruption in the country’s history, rampant nepotism, and an obsession with consolidating power rather than addressing national concerns. History teaches us that long-reigning African leaders tend to fall when they reach the 40-year mark:
- Omar Bongo (Gabon) – 42 years (1967-2009)
- Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) – 37 years (1980-2017)
- Muammar Gaddafi (Libya) – 42 years (1969-2011)
Museveni’s rule is approaching a similar threshold. The question now is: how does he intend to leave the stage?
JATT, or whoever is pulling the strings, must put an end to this reckless path of violence. Otherwise, those in power are sowing the seeds of their own downfall. If the state continues to brutalize its citizens, a revolution is inevitable and I would fully support it.
History has shown that no one can stand idly by while innocent people are treated as criminals. One day, Ugandans will refuse to obey anything but their conscience.
I reject the presence of these shameless gangs patrolling the streets of Kawempe. The government must do the right thing and deploy them to fight real terrorists, not innocent Ugandans.
Whoever sanctioned JATT’s deployment to Kawempe North is the true enemy of the Museveni establishment.
The writer, Wilfred Arinda Nshekantebirwe is the LC 5 Male Youth Councillor for Rubanda District in South Western Uganda.
