From Liberation to Looting: How Museveni’s Uganda Lost Its Way

By Alexander Luyima
A Concerned Citizen | April 2025

In April 2025, Uganda woke up to reports that Mr. Yoweri Museveni had quietly disbursed Shs100 million (CAD 35,000) to each Member of Parliament as a “token of appreciation.” This occurred while teachers, doctors, and civil servants staged strikes over unpaid wages, hospitals rationed basic supplies, and inflation crippled households. The irony is stark: a leader who once vowed to eradicate corruption now presides over a system where cash handouts to politicians are prioritized over citizens’ survival.

This is not an isolated incident—it is the culmination of a 40-year rule that has strayed far from its liberation ideals. Uganda’s descent into kleptocracy, dynastic rule, and systemic decay demands an unflinching examination of the past, the present, and the urgent steps needed to reclaim the nation’s future.

I. Broken Promises: A Legacy Betrayed

1. 1986 vs. 2025

Then: Museveni’s famous inaugural speech promised “a fundamental change” and condemned “the politics of the stomach.” He vowed to root out corruption and build strong institutions.

Now: Uganda ranks 142 out of 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption Index (2024). The State House budget for “classified expenditures” (read: patronage) ballooned to Shs800 billion in 2024, while education and health budgets were slashed.

2. The NRM’s Original Vision

The 10-Point Program (1986) emphasized democracy, security, and economic independence.

Reality Check: Uganda’s debt stands at $24.6 billion (48% of GDP), with loans funding vanity projects like the $1.2 billion Lubowa Hospital ghost project. MPs earn 20 times the national GDP per capita, yet 42% of Ugandans live below the poverty line.

3. The Monarchy-in-Making

The removal of presidential age limits (2017) and the militarization of politics—evident in Gen. Muhoozi’s political rise—confirm fears of a Museveni dynasty in the making.

II. The Shs100 Million Scandal: A Symbol of Systemic Rot

The Facts

The payments were allegedly coordinated by the Government Chief Whip and Speaker Anita Among, bypassing formal parliamentary channels.

Opposition MPs who received the money were tacitly co-opted, undermining accountability.

The Hypocrisy

In 2023, Museveni condemned “greedy leaders” during the Karamoja iron sheets scandal. Yet now, he rewards MPs with enough cash to buy 50,000 bags of maize for starving Karimojong.

The Fallout

Public trust in Parliament is at an all-time low.

Youth unemployment (64%) fuels desperation, with 78% of Ugandans under 30 believing emigration is their only hope (Afrobarometer 2024).

III. The Way Forward: A Blueprint for Change

1. Immediate Demands

Full Audit: The Auditor General must investigate the Shs100 million disbursements and publish the source of funds.

Resignations: Speaker Anita Among and the Government Chief Whip must step down pending investigations.

2. Structural Reforms

Term Limits Restored: Reinstate presidential term limits and age caps through constitutional amendment.

Anti-Corruption Courts: Fast-track trials for graft cases and enforce asset recovery from the guilty.

3. Economic Justice

Redirect Patronage Funds: The Shs100 million given to 529 MPs (Shs52.9 billion total) could:

Pay 10,000 teachers for a year.

Stock 100 health centers with malaria drugs.

Debt Transparency: Publish all loan agreements and halt non-essential borrowing.

4. The Succession Question

Museveni must renounce dynastic ambitions and commit to a free, fair 2026 election.

Civil society and youth must vet candidates based on merit, not patronage.

IV. A Call to Action

To the Ugandan People:

Document & Expose: Share evidence of corruption via secure platforms like #UgandaLeaks.

Boycott Complicity: Refuse to cheer leaders who weaponize poverty.

To the International Community:

Sanction Enablers: Target banks and offshore accounts holding Uganda’s looted wealth.

Support Civic Spaces: Protect NGOs and journalists uncovering graft.

To Mr. Museveni:

History will judge you not by your years in power but by the ruins or renaissance you leave behind. Step aside with dignity—or be remembered as the man who killed the dream of a prosperous Uganda.

Final Word

Uganda’s salvation lies not in one leader’s epiphany but in the collective courage of its people to demand better. The Shs100 million scandal is a wake-up call. Let’s answer it with unwavering resolve.

#UgandaWeWant | #TimeToGo | #NotToTheBailout

> “The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men.” – Plato

Government & Media:

President’s Office: info@statehouse.go.ug

Parliament of Uganda: clerk@parliament.go.ug

Office of the Speaker: speaker@parliament.go.ug

Media Outlets:

Daily Monitor: news@ug.nationmedia.com | editor@ug.nationmedia.com

New Vision: news@newvision.co.ug

NBS TV: news@nbs.ug

NTV Uganda: news@ntv.co.ug

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC): ucc@ucc.co.ug

Observer Uganda: editor@observer.ug

Bukedde TV: bukedde@newvision.co.ug

Radio Simba: info@radiosimba.ug

Capital FM: capitalfm@capitalradio.co.ug