THE LAST WORD: How Ugandans get angrier as government does the right thing when it comes to spending money THE LAST WORD |Andrew M. Mwenda| Two contradictory things are happening in Uganda. First, large sections of the public, especially the elite public, are angry, very angry with government. They …
Read More »KAGAME: The unbelievable truth
How ignorance and prejudice combine to undermine the truth about Kagame running for president this year Rwanda | Andrew M. Mwenda | The Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) on June 17 nominated Paul Kagame as its presidential candidate in this year’s elections. Although he was unopposed, the RPF still conducted …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Inside Rwanda’s politics of unity
THE LAST WORD: Why other political parties in Rwanda have endorsed the candidacy of Paul Kagame The Last Word | ANDREW M. MWENDA| The government of Rwanda has been working with a concept called “Ndi’omunyarwanda” i.e. I am a Munyarwanda. It seeks to facilitate people to see themselves as Rwandans, not …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Behind the 2017/18 budget
How money is an important a political resource that allows Museveni to manage power The Last Word | ANDREW MWENDA| Last week, the government presented the national 2017/18 budget totalling Shs24 trillion in spending. For many commentators on the Ugandan traditional and social media scene, the budget is as an economic …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: The tragedy of borrowed ideas
How Zuma has brought South Africa’s democracy and Mandela’s “miracle” from honour to shame! THE LAST WORD | By Andrew M. Mwenda Last week I was in South Africa and listened to the disaster bad leadership can inflict on a country. President Jacob Zuma and his confederates have indulged in …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Why Kayihura remains IGP
His contract was renewed because his enemies inside the government underestimate him while the opposition demonise him By Andrew M. Mwenda Parliament last week approved President Yoweri Museveni’s reappointment of Gen. Kale Kayihura as Inspector General of Police (IGP). With 12 years at the helm, Kayihura is now the longest …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: A giant retires
What Uganda’s current and future politicians can learn from the life and character of Mzee Byanyima By Andrew M. Mwenda Although I knew he was old (at 96) and was aware of his declining health I was still shocked when I heard the news of the death of Mzee …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: The logic of Besigye’s claims
What psychology tells us about FDC’s claims to have won last year’s presidential election By Andrew M. Mwenda This column is a logical thought experiment. Recently, opposition presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye, claimed on a television show that he won the last presidential elections and that he has evidence to …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: On Museveni and Stella Nyanzi
How the detention and trial of a Makerere academic exposes the moral bankruptcy of Uganda’s elites By Andrew M. Mwenda Dr. Stella Nyanzi, an academic at Makerere University, has been jailed for using foul language to criticise President Yoweri Museveni and his wife, Janet. It is permissible to call the …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Uganda’s declining growth
Why we need to think of how to develop national capacity to manage our economy By Andrew M. Mwenda Uganda is going through the worst economic performance since 1987 when the government of President Yoweri Museveni began liberal economic reform. In the first quarter of this financial year, the …
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