Uganda at a crossroads as Museveni begins new term
Key takeaways
- Unemployment and poverty pose major challenges for President Museveni's seventh term, while his age and long rule prompt questions about Uganda's future beyond his leadership.
- Despite winning January's elections with just under 72% of the vote — amid reports of intimidation and abductions of opposition figures — many believe the 81-year-old is nearing the end of his time in office.
- And when there is peace, the economic activities tend to sprout and progress," Ugandan academic Adolf Mbaine told DW.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Unemployment and poverty pose major challenges for President Museveni's seventh term, while his age and long rule prompt questions about Uganda's future beyond his leadership.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Diwg Museveni takes the oath of office while being cheered by thousands attending the event in the Kampala suburb of Kololo Image: Lubega Emmanuel/DWAdvertisement As Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni was sworn in on Tuesday, observers and political leaders across East Africa reflected on the trajectory of a man who in 1986 emerged from military fatigues, and a country wracked by violent war, to then rule for 40 years.
Regional leaders, including the Democratic Republic of Congo's Felix Tshisekedi, Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Nigeria's Bola Tinubu, and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta traveled to Uganda's capital, Kampala, for Museveni's inauguration, highlighting his regional diplomatic standing.