Alexander Luyima : An Open Letter to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and His Associates

Your Excellency,

I write this letter not in hatred, but with a deeply burdened heart — as a son of Uganda, a citizen of conscience, and a voice for the millions who have been silenced by the crushing weight of hopelessness and injustice.

Mr. President, the recent reports that Members of Parliament received Shs100 million each as a so-called “token of appreciation” is not only insulting — it is a national betrayal. At a time when our nation is grappling with poverty, underfunded hospitals, unemployed youth, crumbling infrastructure, and a disillusioned civil service, such lavish handouts to legislators are not only shameful, but a deliberate slap in the face of every struggling Ugandan.

You rose to power with the promise of liberation, of justice, and of a people-centered government. You told the world that Africa’s problem was leaders who overstay in power. But now, over 38 years later, your leadership has become the very thing you once condemned. Today, Uganda is riddled with corruption, oppression, fear, and rising inequality — not because the people have failed you, but because those in power have failed the people.

You found Uganda broken but hopeful. Now, it is beaten down and barely holding on. The trust of the people has been eroded, not by foreign enemies, but by the insatiable greed of internal actors. The idea that MPs needed a bailout during tough times is a cruel mockery to the average Ugandan who can’t afford school fees, hospital bills, or even a decent meal. Who bails out the mother giving birth on a hospital floor? Who appreciates the teacher walking miles to teach in overcrowded classrooms?

Mr. President, the signs are clear. Your continued hold on power, your disregard for constitutionalism, and your grooming of your son for succession point not to a leader committed to democracy, but one determined to turn our beloved Uganda into a monarchy. And this must be called what it is — a dangerous path that undermines every value you once stood for.

I implore you: let history remember you not as the man who clung to power at all costs, but as one who rose above personal ambition and chose the good of the nation. Uganda has potential — and it needs fresh leadership, visionary thinkers, and leaders who are accountable to the people, not to their inner circles.

Mr. President, it is not too late. Use this final chapter of your political journey to make things right. Help usher in a peaceful transition. Inspire the next generation not by the length of your reign, but by the wisdom of your exit.

Uganda deserves better. And we, her children, are ready to build that better future.

Sincerely,
Alexander Luyima
Director of Community Programs and Information
African Descent Ontario (ADSON)
Concerned and Patriotic Ugandan