President Yoweri Museveni was sworn in for another term as leaders from across East Africa — including DR Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu and former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta — attended the inauguration in Kampala, underscoring his regional diplomatic standing. Museveni first came to power in 1986 after a civil war and has now ruled for four decades.
Museveni won January’s election with just under 72% of the vote, a result that international observers and rights groups say was marked by intimidation and the abduction or arrest of opposition figures. Many Ugandans and outside analysts believe the 81‑year‑old president may be approaching the end of his time in office, but citizens and opinion leaders say there is still much to be done in his new term.
Supporters point to relative peace and steady economic growth under Museveni. The World Bank reported GDP growth above 6% in 2024, and Uganda’s economy has generally expanded at rates above 3% since the early 1990s. GDP rose from about $3.9 billion in 1986 to roughly $53.9 billion in 2024.
But that growth has not translated evenly into jobs or opportunity for Uganda’s rapidly growing population. The country’s population has surged from 15.5 million in 1986 to more than 50 million today, and with a median age around 17, youth unemployment is a persistent and acute problem. “We have a very big population. The majority of them are youth, and a number of these are unemployed. It’s a time bomb,” journalist Robert Kirabo said in Kampala.
Many Ugandans say they want to see the benefits of growth reach ordinary people. Development economist and MP Agnes Atim Apea said citizens are hearing about economic expansion but expect accountability and tangible improvements. In his inaugural address Museveni pledged measures to boost wealth creation, tackle corruption and improve health, education and infrastructure. He urged regional unity and argued that bringing families into the money economy across key sectors would create large numbers of jobs, including for refugees.
Voices on Kampala’s streets offered a mixture of hope and frustration. Some supporters expressed faith that Museveni would deliver on his promises. Others, like street vendors and students, criticized the administration for failing to support traders, for embezzlement of public funds and for inadequate financing of youth and entrepreneurs. Farmer Isaac Tenywa highlighted governance challenges beyond jobs — looming disputes over land, policy inertia and a swollen public payroll. “That calls for reducing the number of staff, reducing the number of parliamentarians, where most of government revenue goes,” he said, noting the political difficulty since such cuts mean people losing jobs.
At the same time, civil society organizations and the United Nations have warned that civic space in Uganda is shrinking. Rights groups cite arrests of opposition figures, increased restrictions on independent media and tighter controls on nongovernmental organizations. Prominent opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) was photographed driving through clouds of pepper spray to reach a rally during the campaign, later lost the election and left the country. Longtime opposition leader Kizza Besigye was detained before the vote. Lawmakers have also passed measures seen as repressive, including strict anti‑LGBTQ+ legislation and a watered‑down Protection of Sovereignty Bill that restricts outside funding for political parties.
Some citizens worry that growing polarization and tribalism are eroding service delivery. “Many things in this country have become so tribalized, they have become so political. Tribalism is very dangerous,” said Henry Baguma, an older Kampala resident who lived through the turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s.
Succession is another central concern. Museveni’s new term runs until 2031, and he has not named a successor. The absence of a clear transition plan worries academics and civil society leaders who had hoped for a systematic arrangement toward a peaceful handover. Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who commands significant influence in the military, is frequently mentioned as a possible future leader. Observers note that Muhoozi’s military background and confrontational style differ from Museveni’s reputation for deal‑making and political tolerance, traits that helped him build and maintain alliances over decades.
“ I think as a country we need to start moving away from looking at Uganda as a Museveni thing,” Agnes Atim Apea said, calling for a focus on systems, efficiency and continuity rather than personalities. Others who remember the violence of past regimes acknowledge Museveni’s role in stabilizing the country but warn that failing to manage succession peacefully could risk a return to instability. “If we get something that is not even close to a political transition, then it means we have learned nothing. Because we can easily slide back into the kind of chaos that we thought the country had moved on from,” academic Adolf Mbaine said.
As Museveni begins his seventh consecutive term, Uganda faces the dual tasks of turning macroeconomic gains into widespread opportunity for a young population and preserving political space and institutions that can support a peaceful, credible transition in the future. Citizens’ demands for jobs, accountability and better services sit alongside concerns about repression and the concentration of power — tensions that will shape Uganda’s politics and stability in the years ahead.