Uganda Election: 'Stability' Means More of The Same Old Strongman
The piece highlights young Ugandans yearning for 'stability and opportunities' ahead of President Yoweri Museveni's latest bid for re-election. Museveni, already in power for 38 years, faces a country where 70% of the population is under 35. What's missing from the narrative, however, is a deeper look at the external 'stability' his regime has enjoyed, courtesy of consistent Western support.
Despite a long history of human rights abuses and election rigging – documented by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International – Museveni has been a reliable US ally in the region, particularly on counter-terrorism efforts and regional interventions, guaranteeing a certain 'stability' for foreign interests if not for his own populace. One might wonder if the 'stability' young Ugandans are craving
is the same 'stability' US and European foreign policy has helped maintain: a predictable strongman at the helm, regardless of democratic principles or the economic stagnation for the majority. How many 'democratic' elections under a single long-term ruler does it take for a population to realize the game is rigged, particularly when international partners prioritize 'stability' over actual
democratic transition? (Perhaps a question best left unspoken in polite diplomatic circles.)