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Robert Kyagulanyi, AKA Bobi Wine. Credit: ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/ Getty
It seems strange to think that when Yoweri Museveni grabbed control of Uganda 35 years ago, he was seen as a symbol of welcome winds of change sweeping Africa. He was the charismatic outsider who launched a bush war after rigged elections, then took power and pledged to unleash a brave new era. He was popular in his own country with promises of stability, viewed as a threat to the despotic old guard of leaders across the continent with talk of “true” democracy, and feted in the West as a harbinger of progress despite seizing power down the barrel of his guns.
Now Uganda is desperate for a fresh start. Once described by Winston Churchill as “a garden of sunshine and deadly nightshade”, the country’s hopes and optimism at independence curdled under the cruel regimes of Idi Amin and Milton Obote. So Museveni found fertile ground when he spoke at his inauguration in January 1986 about the need for “fundamental change” and how sovereign power must lie with the people rather than parasitic elites. “We have had one group getting rid of another one, only for it to turn out to be worse than the group it displaced,” he said.
The new president embraced market reforms, sparking a surge in growth and fall in poverty rates, then wrote a book asking What is Africa’s Problem? He answered his own riddle by saying “the problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power”. He took this message to neighbours such as Kenya, where he smiled impishly and repeated his incendiary suggestion in front of Daniel arap Moi to the joy of crowds frustrated by their own thuggish and thieving president. Yet at least Moi had the sense to stand down after 24 years of catastrophic rule, transforming himself into an elder statesman.
Today, Museveni is 76 years old, still on his gilded throne and resisting removal. His east African country is suffering under the rigid grip of his ruthless cronies as they milk the state coffers, desperately trying to whip up support with spurious claims of foreigners and homosexuals threatening society. His savage security forces beat, torture and kill his foes. And as he seeks a sixth term in office at today’s election, having bribed his supporters in parliament to overturn age and term limits, this president stands before his people as a symbol of the corrosive leadership issue that he so accurately diagnosed at the start of his rule.
This time the main rival is not his former doctor, who challenged him at the last presidential election in 2016, but another rebellious younger man who symbolises a pent-up desire for change, freedom and real democracy. Bobi Wine, the self-styled ghetto president who was just four years old when Museveni took office, is a pop star who has shown immense bravery in face of assassination attempts, beatings, detention, harassment and slaughter of supporters. He campaigns in a bulletproof vest, wears a helmet and fears for his family, who have been sent abroad for safety. He offers little more than a new start for Uganda, travelling light on policy. But that is more than enough for many citizens in a country with mass youth unemployment and a median age of 17.
Wine, 38, was born Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and grew up in a sprawling slum. He is an unlikely figure to be threatening such a wily political operator as Museveni as he attempts to leverage pop stardom into power. His mother, a nurse, warned him not to enter politics after her husband, a vet, was forced into exile under Obote. Instead, he went into music, picking his stage name in homage to Bob Marley and the idea that — like a good vintage — he grows better with age. He became a big star with a fusion of dancehall reggae, hip hop and a local Afrobeat style. Seven years ago he was banned from Britain over homophobic lyrics, although has since recanted and reportedly won over many in Uganda’s LGBT community.
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SubscribeI must have read this article 500 times over the last 40 years. It is only the names that change.
there is an irony here in how a nation like Uganda has a yearning for freedom while parts of the West work feverishly toward establishing far more intrusive and controlling govts. I guess when you have the luxury of hand-wringing over first-world problems, you also lack the self-awareness to realize the pettiness of the debate.
Yet another worthy piece of journalist spiel telling us about African nations burdened with corrupt leaders and their cronies.
But wait(!) we are told. A new young leader rises up among the common people. He promises hope and change. A better future for Africa is possible if only the people have the courage to reach out and grasp it!
Haven’t we seen it all before? The new revolutionary, usually drawn from the creative classes, full of romantic vision and humanitarian ideals ““ always plays well with the Western MSM.
Yet, if he wins, who will administer his brave new nation? Will they be any less self-serving and corruption prone than the bunch who were ousted? What of the people themselves ““ do they long for a strongman to lead them because democracy is just so much talk.
Perhaps corrupt oppressive cronyism is the default mode of African politics ““ the only type of government that can actually survive.
If cronyism is the default mode of African politics, that would be extremely depressing. Actually, I don’t see much difference between the instincts of Western politicians and African. I would like to think that individuals within our institutions such as media, judiciary, police, armed forces etc. and the general lack of respect for politicians (ironically) make the worst symptoms impossible, but nevertheless, signs of reluctance to leave office still appear from time to time (Trump 2021, Brown 2010), and also that the people who run these institutions are steadily becoming less apolitical with each passing year (Maitlis, Bercow, Byrne).
However, as far as I am aware, Botswana has avoided these kinds of problems, so there is hope that they don’t have to be the default mode.
Sorry Colin, but Botswana a tiny African country has less than 1.8 million people and is not wracked with Tribalism because beside for a small population of white people it has only one tribe, the Swana.
Not many African countries have this hegemony, maybe because of the colonial borders, they are always bereft with a major tribe of 45 – 65 % and a minority tribe or tribes, some have 20 tribes fighting over resources. Unlike the story book blm Wakanda version of history none of these tribes ever really got on and only stopped killing each other because they had to get rid of the colonialists, once the colonialists were gone they went back to hating each other and fighting over resources..
Yip the main problem with Africa is multiculturalism, where politicians use different tribes to get different emotional affects and then use them against each other, this is why these dictators can continually keep their office, unlike Europe (which seems hell bent on importing tribalism back), Africans have never gotten over tribalism and except for the 150 or so years Europeans broke up the party they have never lived in anything but a Feudal society with a king or a dictator..
Not a very convincing political equation Mr Elliot!
Trump 2021, Brown 2010 and (for those old enough to remember) Heath 1974 hanging on to office a few days longer than was decent.
Do you really think that kind of sulky behaviour is equivalent to the brutal grip on power exercised by the likes of:
“¢ Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe)
“¢ Idi Amin (Uganda)
“¢ Milton Obote (Uganda)
“¢ Jean-Bedel (Emperor) Bokassa (Central African Republic)
“¢ Charles Taylor (Liberia)
“¢ Jean Kambanda (Rwanda)
“¢ Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir (Sudan)
Not to mention all those who had a vested interest in keeping those monsters in power. An obvious point I know, but no dictator rules a nation single-handed.
But hey, let’s not be complacent! Without our trusty MSM to keep Western politicians in check ““ well who knows what savagery they might indulge in.
By the way, Botwana’s economic boom is founded on mineral wealth. I’m no economist but that does suggest a vulnerablility to sudden changes in worldwide demand. A major slump could see a reversion to default mode. Like the man said: “It’s the economy, stupid”.
Indeed-and by all means do not bring up: China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran-one must focus on the dangerous British and Americans.
The issue is tribalism not cronyism. We need to understand how Africa works at a village level before we impose western democratic expectations. Uganda never asked for democracy. They had a system of government that worked well for them. Village elders, regional elders tribal chiefs etc. Outside of Kampala much of this system still exists and works well. land disputes etc are sorted out at a local level using systems that have served Uganda well from before the colonial days. We have now tried to impose western democracy over the top of this.
The reason why Botswana works well is that the democratic process there simply affirms the pre-existing tribal structure with a hereditary king who has become an elected hereditary president.
Of course, it’s all the fault of colonialism. Britain departed the scene nearly sixty years ago, but to guilt-ridden liberals in the West, that is irrelevant. It cannot possibly be the fault of Africans themselves.
But then, savvy Africans like Museveni knew exactly what to do and say to get these silly Westerners to give them oodles of free money. Everyone a winner… apart from the Western taxpayers, and the ordinary Africans. But then, who cares about them?
Uganda – what a country, I love it. Full of huge potential and great resources but lacks good government. Of course Museveni has stayed too long but a big problem with Uganda politics is tribalism – regime change brings change of management all the way down the civil service to benefit the tribal heritage of the new leader. This happened under Obote 1 and 2, Amin, and Museveni.
I question how far Museveni has had to rig previous elections, I think the ordinary people fear regime change more than they fear another term from Museveni and have voted for a status quo they know and have come to live with.
For a Msungu I have had the privilege of getting to know Uganda reasonably well, sitting with old men under an equatorial sunset talking about the old days is a wonderful privilege but the stories are harrowing. Executions, wide scale government backed cattle theft, subtle government backing (turning a blind eye) to the Lords Resistance Army etc. Regime change always brings bloodshed is their experience. For over 3 decades Museveni with all his many faults has at least protected them from what they fear the most.
I think that Western commentators underestimate the appeal of dictators whether it be in Rwanda, Belarus or China. Most of the people the article quotes as supporting Bobi Wine cannot vote in Ugandan elections. It is possible that majority of Ugandans are pleased with the status quo.
I’m getting more concerned about the number of Western commentators who envy the appeal of dictators. These are people who have run cover for the likes of Castro and Chavez, who wear Lenin and Che t-shirts, and perpetually drone on about revolution
For the record, the UK taxpayer spent £96.3 million in Uganda in 2017. The main resistance to this has come not because the democracy in that country is faulty, but because it discriminates against LGBT.
Funny isn’t it, the white mans burden knows no end.. well I guess once the UK gets to 40% BAME you can tell all these 3rd world hell holes that you don’t owe them anything, of course by then you will have the same tribalism problems they do..
Shocking, voter fraud ,Intimidation,Vote harvesting ,bribes, Could not happen in USA? or uk ,Peterborough,birmingham etc..
So, two fanatically homophobic rivals do battle in Africa for possession of the loot; what’s new?
Yes, all the trappings have yet to play out for pretender’s to the throne – but by this stage many Ugandans seem happy to roll the dice. Trading a successful music career for this perilous mess points towards some form of principle underpinning Bobi’s actions (?) and I’d be happier to go with that, in his defence, although the likelihood of some meaningful outcome short term appears so unlikely