There’s no denying that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is now in the later years of both his life and leadership. Like all things in life, his time will eventually come to an end. After nearly 40 years in power, Museveni’s leadership has been marked by many major moments—some good, others challenging.
But one thing that has stood out about him is his strategic planning. Even his strongest rival, Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye, once admitted that Museveni is always ahead of his opponents when it comes to political moves. It’s this sharp strategy that has helped him outlast his early challengers like Dr. Ssemwogerere, Paulo Muwanga, and Ssebana Kizito, as well as his own former allies like Dr. Besigye and Amama Mbabazi.
Today, Museveni is facing a new type of challenge—his political grandchildren, or Bazzukulu, as he fondly calls them. Leading this group is Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine. In the 2021 elections, Bobi Wine sparked a wave of youth excitement, gaining 35% of the vote—the highest for any opposition candidate in Uganda’s history.
That momentum saw many young leaders from the National Unity Platform (NUP) elected across the country. At the time, many believed this marked the beginning of the end of Museveni’s presidency. But fast forward five years, and the fire that once lit up the NUP seems to have dimmed, while Museveni has quietly borrowed their own tactics to gain ground among the youth.
In recent years, Museveni has shifted his focus towards empowering young people—the largest part of Uganda’s population. He has started using youthful language, humor, and even memes to communicate with them. This has improved his image among young voters and raised his popularity.
He has also placed many young people in leadership positions. Notably, he appointed Hon. Balaam Barugahara, a well-known figure in the entertainment world, as Minister of State for Youth. He also named Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro as Minister of State for Energy. Her marriage to musician Eddy Kenzo has given her even more public support, which also benefits the ruling party.
As we head into the 2026 elections, more and more young people are stepping into leadership roles. Interestingly, many of them are choosing to run under the NRM ticket instead of NUP. These include media personality Victoria Bagaya Akiiki (aspiring Fort Portal Woman MP), Mackline Asiimire (aspiring MP for Igara West), and Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro (aspiring Nebbi Woman MP), among others.
Current ministers like Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng (Health), Dr. Chris Baryomunsi (ICT), and Hon. Frank Tumwebaze (Agriculture) reflect a blend of youthful energy and mature leadership—further proof of Museveni’s shift in strategy.
At the same time, veteran politicians who were once close to Museveni are slowly being replaced by new faces who can keep up with modern politics. Meanwhile, his son and current CDF, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (MK), is also growing in popularity among the youth—fueling speculation that he could be Museveni’s successor.
While the opposition continues to shout about the need for transition, Museveni seems to be quietly putting all the pieces in place. And by the time his opponents realise it, he may already have played his winning hand.
