Yoweri Museveni who is a Nilotic-Muhororo was born in Ntungamo district, some forty miles from Mbarara town in southwest Uganda. Just before becoming president in 1986, Museveni was interviewed by John Nagenda. The interview was published in March 1986 in New African magazine. He articulated his philosophy and mission for Uganda. He has been president for over twenty years and he is running again for re-election to another five-year term starting in 2011.
Yoweri Museveni reported that his movement and army adopted a correct political line based on the philosophy that the people of Uganda are sovereign and anybody who is against the people is an enemy of Uganda. He added that the people of Uganda were united because they have common interests – same problems caused by natural barriers and backwardness due to lack of development hence their desire to act in concert than in conflict. Tribalism and religious conflicts were induced by leadership which pushed artificial interests rather than those of the population.
Regarding racial differences, Museveni stated that even in the south of Uganda “I am not so sure that the groups are the same racially, they are the same linguistically, but this is not the same thing as being the same racially. That needs to be investigated. … Now, for the people who come from the north, the only difference there is linguistic … but otherwise there are traditional links, cultural links and even more administrative links … So I do not see any unbridgeable gap between any people of any part of Uganda with other people from any other part of Uganda”. The north/south divide was created by foreign intervention in Uganda’s affairs – in the army, in the civil service and in the economy. The divide was used to keep leaders in power undemocratically. Museveni said that during the bush war, the question of tribalism was of no consequence and “we have been able to unite our army … and in this way we are sure we shall be able to unite Uganda. I am definitely sure of that”.
Museveni stressed that people who commit crimes must be tried and punished irrespective of their position in Uganda’s society and hierarchy. “I’m sure our people are very happy that we punish the criminals”.
Museveni underlined the importance of compromise for the common good, noting that “Public affairs … is like riding a public bus. You ride with all sorts of fellows; some of them you do not like, but as long as they pay their bus fare you have got to put up with them”.
Museveni concluded the interview with his position on leadership. He said “I would accept the leadership role now because it is absolutely necessary to set this mess in order … but in this case the leadership is an instrument for cleaning the house. Then after some years, after we have settled the immediate problems of the country, especially security and restoring democracy to the population, personally I am one of those fellows who are not very keen to remain in public life for a long time, because I have got a lot of other things I can do, for example, community leadership, working among the local people and working on the African scene. I am also a Panafricanist ideologically so I see my work in Uganda … as also being a springboard for our work on the African continent as a whole”.
Readers who have followed Museveni’s work since he became president in 1986 are requested to assess the extent to which he has remained faithful to his philosophy and mission for Uganda.