Uganda (CU)_ Uganda is a young nation headed by a 76-year-old President Yoweri Museveni looking for his sixth term as president. Two-thirds of eligible voters in Uganda fall under the age of 30. It means that Museveni has ruled them since their birth. Museveni’s main opponent in the coming election is the 38-year-old singer Bobi Wine who was a kid when Museveni came to power as the leader of armed rebellion.
Hence, this election is a battle between the grandparental incumbent and the young singer-turned-politician, Bobi Wine. This election is also a race between the most important political divisions such as transition vs stability, idealism vs wisdom, and disappointed young vs fearful old. Museveni’s speeches reflect the slow and steady advancement of his government in economic growth and portray Wine as an unfit presidential candidate.
Report from World Bank said that every year around 700,000 youths in Uganda enter working age, but on average only 75,000 jobs are developed. The 31-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, Ampaire Emmanuel, spoke about the unemployment of the youth. He said, “Even though the country is stable, young people do not have jobs. Our challenges are many, and we hope that when there is a change in government things will get better.”
Bobi Wine, originally known as Robert Kyagulanyi, has faced abuse many times since he became a member of parliament in 2017. Bobi Wine has been arrested three times since his candidacy was declared, with at least 600 spectators participating in his rallies. The Police reported that his campaigns and rallies breached the pandemic guidelines against large crowds. His bodyguard was shot dead, his lawyer charged, reporters covering his campaign had their accreditation suspended, and following Wine’s second detention, protesters were fired and at least 54 were killed.
Bobi Wine’s campaign theme is “We are replacing a dictator”. Museveni insisted that he won all his elections legally and fairly, and that the people of Uganda still glorify him as a great leader who liberated them from the former dictators Idi Amin and Milton Obote.
Saasi Marvin, a leader in the youth wing of Wine’s National Unity Platform party spoke about the present Ugandan government. He said, “Museveni does not understand what our aspirations are as young people and generally as citizens. We have reached a point where no matter how diligently you work, you will find that you cannot achieve success because of the presence of bad governance in Uganda.”
Approximately 80 per cent of the country’s population is below the age of 30, the bulk of whom are unemployed or unemployed with an odd work. Bobi Wine hailed from a poor family and grew up poor. Initially he was raised by a single mother, and then following her demise, he was raised by his elder brother. In the beginning, Wine sang love songs for his living, but when a military officer hit him one night, he shifted his tune to concentrate on social justice.
The 43-year-old singer Moses Ssali, originally known as Bebe Cool, said, “That entitlement of being young does not mean that you can run a country”. He supports Museveni’s reelection race and released in October a campaign song titled, “I Will Vote For Him Again.” On supporting Museveni, he countered Wine saying, “Yes, there’s a lack of employment, but that’s standard in every country, most especially a country like ours that comes from civil wars. You can’t talk about Uganda’s economy, lack of infrastructure, hospitals and forget why we are there.” During Museveni’s tenure in office, Uganda’s poverty rate has declined from around 60 per cent to just below 20 per cent, but unemployment and slow growth of public services have impacted many youths in the country.
During a recent campaign address, Wine spoke about the facilities that people can expect in a peaceful country. He said, “Young people need to live in a country where there is equality, go to hospitals that have medicines, where children go to school and find teachers who are well paid and in time. I’m going to represent that young man who rides a boda boda but is arrested daily, I’m going to represent the youth in the ghetto. No one will rule Uganda for more than two terms. Museveni will be the last dictator we have.”
President Museveni during his annual New Year’s speech said, “I’m the head of the bush warfighters. We cannot allow the revolution of the people to be destroyed by crooks.” Museveni’s decades of tenure in office were strengthened by strong funding from the US government, which instead of warning him of reports of misuse of power, spends approximately $750 million annually on assistance to Uganda, including military training and support.
