General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (born 1944) is a Ugandan military officer, politician, and revolutionary who has served as the President of Uganda since seizing power in January 1986. His rule, spanning nearly four decades, brought an unprecedented level of political stability and economic recovery to a nation previously ravaged by civil war and dictatorship. However, his tenure is increasingly marked by a shift toward autocracy, the suppression of opposition, and the removal of constitutional checks on his power.
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Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa |
| Born | September 15, 1944, Ntungamo, Uganda |
| Political Party | National Resistance Movement (NRM) |
| Presidential Term | January 29, 1986 – Present (39 years as of 2025) |
| Previous Roles | Leader of the National Resistance Army (NRA); Minister of Defence (briefly after Amin’s fall) |
| Education | University of Dar es Salaam (Political Science, Economics, and Law) |
| Wife | Janet Museveni (First Lady; Minister of Education) |
The Revolutionary Path to Power
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University Activism: Museveni attended the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1967–1970), where he embraced Marxist doctrine and established the University Students’ African Revolutionary Front. He also received guerrilla training in Mozambique with FRELIMO.
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Fighting Idi Amin: When Idi Amin took power in 1971, Museveni fled into exile in Tanzania and founded the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA). His forces played a role alongside the Tanzanian army in the 1979 war that ultimately toppled Amin.
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The Ugandan Bush War: Following the disputed 1980 elections, which he claimed were rigged by Milton Obote’s UPC party, Museveni launched a rural guerrilla movement, the National Resistance Army (NRA), in 1981. After a five-year civil war (the Ugandan Bush War), the NRA captured Kampala on January 26, 1986, and Museveni was sworn in as President.
The “No-Party” System and Stability (1986–2005)
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Restoration of Order: Museveni’s initial rule was widely welcomed for bringing an unprecedented level of stability and discipline to a nation wracked by conflict.
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Economic Liberalization: He abandoned his earlier Marxist beliefs, embracing neoliberal economic reforms, including privatization, free enterprise, and foreign investment, which led to a period of strong economic growth.
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HIV/AIDS Success: His administration gained international recognition for its aggressive and successful “ABC” program (Abstinence, Be Faithful, Condoms) which dramatically reduced the country’s HIV/AIDS infection rates.
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The Movement System: He maintained a unique “Movement” system (essentially a de facto one-party state), arguing that multi-party politics divided the country along ethnic and religious lines. Opposition parties were not banned but were severely restricted in their ability to field candidates until 2005.
Consolidation of Power and Autocracy (2005–Present)
The period after 2005 saw Museveni consolidate his personal grip on power by dismantling the few constitutional checks on the presidency.
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Abolition of Term Limits (2005): Despite his earlier anti-dictatorship rhetoric, Museveni oversaw a constitutional amendment that eliminated presidential term limits, allowing him to run indefinitely.
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Return to Multi-Party Politics (2006): Facing international pressure, a referendum was held in 2005 that supported a return to multi-party politics. However, subsequent elections (2006, 2011, 2016, 2021) have been widely criticized for electoral fraud, human rights violations, and the suppression of the opposition (most recently Bobi Wine).
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Abolition of Age Limit (2017): In another controversial move, Parliament voted to remove the constitutional age limit of 75 years for presidential candidates, allowing Museveni (currently 81 in 2025) to contest the 2026 and future elections.
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Human Rights and Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws: His government has faced increasing criticism for its autocratic style, crackdown on dissent, and the promotion of severe anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Museveni remains one of Africa’s longest-serving and most controversial leaders. While he is credited with stabilizing Uganda after decades of brutal misrule, his legacy is increasingly defined by his refusal to yield power and the subsequent democratic backsliding.