THE LONGEVITY OF M7N IN POWER, A BLESSING TO UGANDANS.

By Musa Rwamigoye 

 

 

 

Why we still need H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for more years in power?.

 

 

 

Picking a leaf from two Bible verse one from Job and another one from Proverbs, God tells us that long life helps to build deep understanding and insight and, aging is a symbol of honor earned through a lifetime of walking with God.

 

 Efuumu(proverbs) 31:16 Omutwe gujwengize enju n’ekirunga ky’ekitiinisa, Kandi kitungwa ahabw’okugyendera omu muhanda gw’okuhikiirira. English “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness”.

 

YOBO(JOB) 12:12 Abagurusi nibo bagira obwengye, N’abahikize emyaka mingi nibo beetegyereza. English “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding:.

 

 

 

Therefore, a leader who has been in power for 40 years doesn't think like a normal politician who has just joined leadership and governance. In other words, a leader who has overstayed in power like Mzee Yoweri thinks like a patriarch, a survivor, and a system. This is because a such leader holds a remarkable experience.

 

 

 

Like Yobu 12:12 says, leaders who have overstayed in power, have a special reasoning that is different from a beginner or amateur. A leader like President Yoweri Museveni who has spent 40 years in power thinks this way.

HOW MZEE MUSEVENI THINKS NOWADAYS.

 

1. A leader like President Museveni who has spent 40 years in power thinks for survival, not just winning., whenever its election period. 

 

For an amateur politician, he thinks that an election is an event organized by the responsible government body to bring in new leaders. But for a leader like President Museveni who has spent 40 years in power, he thinks election is about (stability of the state) continuity of the state.

 

 A leader like Mzee Museveni has seen coups, wars and insurgencies. Therefore, every decision is he takes must be filtered through. Revolutionary leaders like Mzee Museveni analyzes the situation the possibility it may bring back chaos or havoc to the country. A such leader prefers peace, unity and stability as first priority. It’s the reason such leader like Mzee invests much in security. 

 

On this point of thinking for survival, not just winning, I take you to one of the projects many Ugandans saw as wastage of tax payers money. Let us remember Uganda /DRC strategic project to build and upgrade 223 kilometers of roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to boost cross-border trade.

 

NB; Trade Growth: President Museveni defended the DRC road projects against domestic critics, explaining that improving regional transport networks expands markets for Ugandan goods and increases trade revenue.

 

Security and Development: President Museveni noted that better infrastructure aids regional stability, helps curb active rebel groups in eastern Congo, and facilitates movement for medical and security operations

 

 

 

2. Leaders like Mzee Museveni thinks in decades, not days. An amateur leader just thinks about what will his people need to have tomorrow. His manifesto rotates around one term office service. He/she doesn’t mind about future of his people. When it comes to a leader like Mzee Museveni who has overstayed in power, he is more concerned on how Uganda will look like in 2040. Furthermore, he get concerned history write on him. He does what he sees to be beneficial to his people. At a certain point, he minds much about his legacy whenever taking action. In fact, leaders like Mzee Museveni doesn’t give much time to social media noise. His energy is always preserved for thinking of new unimaginable developmental ideas. On this point I mean; a leader like Mzee Museveni thinks of “Uganda Vision 2040 is a 30-year national development plan launched in 2013 to transform Uganda from a low-income peasant society into a competitive, upper-middle-income country with a target per capita income of $9,500.

 

Secondly, President Yoweri Museveni has strongly advocated for East African and continental economic integration, viewing a unified common market as essential for regional prosperity and strategic security. In his as a mature leader, he has it in mind that East African and continental economic integration can help East Africa, Uganda inclusive to benefit in four way; Prosperity Through Market Size, Strategic Security, Removal of Trade Barriers and Value Addition and Production.

 

i).Prosperity Through Market Size: Museveni thinks that fragmentation limits growth to small national markets. Economic integration creates a large, reliable consumer base required for wealth creators and businesses to scale operations.

 

ii) .Strategic Security: He links economic cooperation with political federation, arguing that regional unity provides the collective power necessary to defend against future security threats on land, air, sea, and space.

 

iii) .Removal of Trade Barriers: Museveni regularly urges member states to eliminate protectionist policies and trade restrictions, emphasizing that smooth cross-border movement of goods and services is vital for the East African Common Market.

 

iv) .Value Addition and Production: President Museveni thinks that prosperity depends on sustainable production with clear economic calculation (ekibaaro) and moving away from subsistence output toward value-added manufacturing and modern commerce.

 

 

 

3. A President like H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who has stayed in power for 40 years doesn’t trust easily at all. He makes sure that he tests loyalty first before any deployment or appointment. This is why a leader like Mzee Museveni can’t rush to make any appointment or deployment any person in any sensitive position without intelligence report.

 

This is because after 40 years in power, he has seen best friends betray him, comrades turn opposition, sons become rivals. So he prunes. He keeps a very small inner circle. He will forgive a mistake, but not disloyalty. Foristance, Rtd Col. Dr Kizza Besigye was a close ally of President Museveni from NRA war days until late 1990s when he turned against him. Yes, we may not know their agreement but he turned against him and formed his own political party FDC, which strongly opposed NRM for almost 20yrs. Furthermore, look at Rtd. Maj Gen Gregory Mugisha Muntuyera who became the youngest UPDF officer to serve as CDF from 1989 to 1998. He later formed his own political party (ANT) and started opposing the government in power.

 

Look at his longtime comrades like Amama Mbabazi, Late Eriya Kategaya ,Hon Tumukunde, Gen Sejjusa and Col. Samson Mande who once parted away for a moment but later reunited. Its 100% correct to say that Mzee Museveni helped RDF to capture Kigali. But the Government in Kigali at a certain point has been at loggerheads his government. 

 

Therefore, a leader like Mzee Museveni twice before making any appointment or deployment. The main reason is that he doesn’t want to make cardinal mistakes that may turn against him later. Banyankore call it “Okworera empiiri omumasinde” translated as “ harboring someone or something that will eventually turn around and harm you”

 

NB; At his age and having spent 40 years in power puts him in position to identify, recruit, mentor and deploy. I therefore base on this point to say that any person to succeed Mzee Museveni must be that selected, tested and blessed with Mzee’s blessings.

 

Having stayed in power for 40yrs, natives perceives him a messiah, liberator, mentor and father of Nation. 

 

Therefore without his blessings, it will not be easy for any person to succeed him at all. If I may pick a leaf from Tanzanian, if Late president Julius Kambarage Nyerere had not blessed Ali Hassan Mwinyi, he wouldn’t have succeeded him. Like I had earlier said, Nyerere identified, recruited, mentored and deployed Mwinyi to gain experience. 

 

 

 

4. After 40 years in power, a leader like Mzee Museveni personalizes the state. After staying so long in power, a leader like Mzee Museveni doesn't see himself as managing a government,, he sees himself as guarding a farm he planted in 1986. For anyone threatening or planning to attack the farm, he feels personal. If we can recall well, President Yoweri Museveni has always assured the country that “No enemy can again destabilise Uganda when he is still alive”. Additionally, Mzee Museveni not once and not twice he has always said “No One Has Capacity To Destabilize Uganda”

 

When Andrew Mwenda questioned President Museveni’s judgment and mental capacity and declaring him senile and incapable of judging right, Mzee Museveni himself replied; “You will, however, discover that at 82, I am still able to defend Uganda and myself with the Bible, the AK-47 and the pen.”

 

This means that Mzee is still strong and wise to defend his nation. Destabilizing Uganda means destabilizing his legacy. President Yoweri Museveni has regularly stated that peace is the absolute foundation upon which Uganda’s economic development, social transformation, and national unity stand. He has also regularly said that Uganda’s lasting peace is a result of deliberate efforts by the National Resistance Movement.

 

Again, when opposition leaders starts behaving badly and collaborating with foreigners to destablize the government, Mzee becomes tough on them. At some point he makes strong statements such as “I have capacity to finish opposition”. 

 

To know that Mzee protects Uganda like any farmer protecting his farm, President Museveni usually address youth of Uganda as his “Bazzukulu”. In other words, Mzee is telling the youth that he is not only their leader but also serves as national Shwenkuru / Jajja (grandfather)

 

On the other hand, he is telling the youth that he is not their boss, not their president, not their ruler but their grandfather. A grandfather doesn’t compete with you. He doesn’t fear you. He protects you, corrects you, and leaves inheritance for you. Like any person who studied political science, President Museveni humbly calls Youth Bazzukulu to cut-off the political distance between him and youth. 

 

He came to power as a guerrilla/rebel, therefore he must create soft avenues to be perceived and observed as a responsible parent and grandparent. 

 

 For President Museveni who believes in African culture, he calls Youth Bazzukulu to imply responsibility and continuity.

 

Like any person from staunch cattle keepers culture and community, abeijukuru (Runyankore) or bazzukulu in (Luganda) are the ones who inherit the kraal, the land, the name in order to keep the legacy of family.  

 

Therefore, when he says Bazzukulu, he is saying: “I fought to have what we own, now its you to inherit. Please don’t destroy what I built.” It’s a father-to-son transfer of duty. He is telling youth that Uganda is theirs, but they must guard it like grandchildren guard their grandfather’s property.

 

Culturally, MMzee Youth Bazzukulu and then Ministers and MPs my sons and daughters implies correction without hhatred.

 

In Banyankore culture, shenkuru/ Jajja can cane his Bazzukulu and give advise. A certain point grandparents can say “Bazzukulu, stop taking drugs and stop being lazy. You need to be strong and be hardworking ”

 

Banyankole grand parents like President Museveni usually tells his Bazzukulu “Atakora tarya” directly translates to “He who does not work does not eat.

 

Therefore, when he warns youth against riots, drugs, and foreign influence, he does it as a grandfather warning his grandchildren not to go astray and lose correct direction, hence disrupting your future.

 

NB; Its only during election period that Mzee Museveni calls natives “my supporters or my voters”.  

 

 

 

5. A 40-year leader like Museveni has seen everything good or bad. Its from this point that he develops strong humility, modesty and Unpretentiousness behaviors. 40 years in office of the presidency , one must have seen war, death, betrayal, victory, praise, insults, family challenges, opposition demonstrations, coup attempts, mutiny attempts and assassination attempts. At his stage, power is no longer sweet as many people may think. At this point power becomes sower and heavy burden. That is where humility and modesty comes from.

 

 

 

President Museveni has challenged many Ugandans by having a listening behavior lacking from other leaders. He always said it that he is a consumer of intelligence. Mzee is found of calling wananchi at village level get firsthand information. President Museveni doesn’t react quickly. He takes time and understands the matter. At his age, Mzee doesn’t intimidate citizens, he takes them as his family members. He cares a lot for Bazzukulu. Above all, he cares much about elders and women. He has given them funds to develop themselves. Its on record, President Museveni respects all categories of people. 

 

Foristance, President Museveni’s convoy accidentally knocked a he-goat (locally known as empaya) along the Seeta–Bweyogerere stretch near Mukono District. President Museveni explained that according to army doctrine, he should have stopped immediately, but he chose not to because he wanted to avoid attracting a crowd during the pandemic lockdown (Covid 19 pandemic).

 

Later, the President directed to locate the owner as soon as possible. The Internal Security Organization (ISO) tracked down the owner, Mr. Rashid Ssemwanga. Mzee compensated him with ugx 800,000#. 

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For all the years President Museveni has been in power, he has lived a modesty life. At a certain point, he has kept his culture life of not living a luxury life. President Museveni has no palaces like other presidents. His wealth is his cows at Rwakitura and Kishozi. Its hard to believe that there are local people in kiruhura with fancy homes than the upcountry home of Mzee at Rwakitura. His modesty is in how he teaches and wants Ugandans to work, to produce, to be wealthy themselves, not to worship him. He preaches the gospel of wealth creation in homesteads, not handouts.

 

After 40 years, you stop ruling to be loved you rule to be remembered as the man who preserved his people. Humility, unpretentiousness and modesty in leadership doesn’t mean weakness, its strength in other words. Banyankore usually say “Enjoka eyorobi nemira engangire.” Literal Meaning: “A soft, flexible snake swallows a rigid, stiff one”.

 

This proverb teaches the power of humility, patience, and adaptability over stubbornness and pride.In life, people who are flexible, calm, and gentle (the “soft snake”) often outlast and overcome those who are arrogant, aggressive, and rigid (the “stiff snake”). It is a reminder that being quiet or humble is not a sign of weakness; rather, it allows you to handle difficult situations strategically and emerge victorious over aggressive opposition.

6. A leader like President Museveni who has spent 40 years in power is found of thinking about legacy and mortality. At this stage, President Museveni no longer thinks about accumulating wealth or acting as a dictator. At this time, his focus is about: "How will he be remembered? After leaving power, will his family be safe? Will his bush war comrades die in peace?"

 

Remember, an amateur leader wants to prove because they normally come with ego but lacking vision. He wants to prove he can do it. In so doing, he dismantles everything left behind by the previous government. Amateur leader renames programs, cancels contracts, fires experienced people, starts new white elephant projects just to put his name on them. He governs to be praised, not to build. In fact, that proving mentality is what has destroyed so many countries after liberation. Amateur leader spends first term fighting the old system, the second term fighting the opposition.

 

A 40-year leader in power like President Museveni wants to preserve and conserve the status quo of the Nation, hence creating a spotless channel for it to continue developing.

 

President Museveni does not need to show he can speak good english on campaigns because the world has heard him speak on several occasions. Therefore, his only interest now is to preserve, conserve the nation he fought for in the bush. That is why his focus today is not on politics, but on legacy:

 

i) Preserving peace so investors don’t run away and take foreign currency in other states. It could be the reason Mzee established a unit called “State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU)is purposely to safeguard both local and foreign investors from corrupt practices, fraud, and bureaucratic delays.

 

ii) Conserving the economy so PDM can reach the last household purposely to eradicate poverty in Uganda.  

 

iii) Maintaining the status quo of stability so oil, the standard gauge railway, and industrial parks can be completed without interruption.

 

This is Kisanja no more sleep.

 

 

 

The writer is a historian, researcher, journalist, political analyst, Nationalist and cadre of NRM(Musevenist).