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Don’t force Museveni into early retirement, Rwampara RDC tells youth
President Museveni has led Uganda since 1986 when he assumed power through a guerilla war. PHOTO/ FILE/ PPU
What you need to know:
- Mr Museveni has led his Uganda for 36 years, since January 1986 when he shot his way to State House through a guerrila war. He was re-elected in January 2021 for a sixth term after a contested campaign.
Rwampara Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ms Jane Asiimwe Muhindo has asked the youth not to force President Museveni who has ruled Uganda since 1986 into “early retirement” arguing that they are not yet ready to take over power.
“Time will come and Mzee will go. He will naturally go, but where does he leave us? You can’t wake up in the morning and ask him to leave. This is like a family where you don’t just ask the father to leave home. He doesn’t just leave because he has been asked to. We still need him beyond 2026,” Ms Muhindo said on Saturday evening while addressing a group of youth leaders from Rwampara who had gathered at Mweya Safari Lodge in Kasese District for a retreat, where she explained to them that Mr Museveni will naturally leave power, but still needs time to prepare the next generation, which seems not ready at a time.
“The President is preparing the next generation to take over and he needs some time. That’s why we are saying he should still be here. It is a must he will go, but it is a process. This isn’t something that you wake up one day and get into. All we need is patience from you because whether you like it all not, you are the next generation and automatically you will come into leadership,” she added.
The RDC also noted that leadership and power takeover is like running a race where you must be prepared to take over.
“If it is a running race, you begin with getting on your marks, you set and go. You don’t just run. They prepare you to get on your marks. As young people, we have been on our marks, after we have been set, we shall run,” she told the youths
Asked why she took the youth for a retreat, Ms Muhindo said she was playing her role of mobilizing the youth so they can appreciate the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) system and support it.
Rwampara RDC Ms Jane Asiimwe Muhindo speaking to the youth during the retreat at Mweya Safari Lodge in Kasese District on November 26, 2022. PHOTO/ ZADOCK AMANYISA
“Our role as RDCs is to mobilize young people in any way possible and make sure that we bring youth closer and they work with us and appreciate the system. Mzee has brought us this far, we cannot lose patience. Let us support our team leader and wait for the final whistle,” Ms Muhindo said.
However, reacting to the RDC’s message, Rwampara District Youth Council Chairperson, Mr Brian Muhimbura said Mr Museveni, 78, should hand over instead of waiting to die in power.
“We love President Museveni, but he should have mentored someone by now and we at least see someone different. As we move towards 2026 elections, he should present someone he has mentored to take over. By 2025, we should see someone new. President Museveni can then serve as NRM party chairperson as he continues to mentor his successor,” said Mr. Muhimbura.
Mr Emmanuel Fokushaba, the district Youth Council member told this reporter that young people have become impatient with the regime because they have been misled yet if they were involved in government programmes, they would have hope in the future.
“Young people have not asked for too much. All they need is hope for the future. They should be involved in government programmes lest they will continue being misled,” he argued.
Another youth leader at the retreat, Mr Nelson Kamukama slammed a section of his colleagues mobilizing for Mr Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to take over from him.
“They are not yet ready to take over and they should wait a little longer,” he said.
Mr Museveni has led his Uganda for 36 years, since January 1986 when he shot his way to State House through a guerrila war. He was re-elected in January 2021 for a sixth term after a contested campaign.
A Supreme Court ruling to abolish an age ceiling of 75 allowed him to stand once again and continue serving.
Some observers say he's grooming his 48-year-old son, Kainerugaba to take over from him when he finally retires.
