Profile

How and why Kagame’s enemies have been successful at branding him a tyrant THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | I asked a young friend to visit Rwanda and assess the state of the country. He returned last week completely mesmerised at how a poor country can have such excellent infrastructure, a …

Lessons for NUP from the continuing crisis in Uganda’s previously largest opposition political party THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) continues to tear itself apart. This is perhaps the final phase of the party’s existence. When time comes to write its postmortem, what would have …

Why democracy crusaders should worry less about Putin and more about its home front, the West THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, the liberal democracies of the West have been on a “moral” crusade against President Vladmir Putin. According to them, Putin is a tyrant, …

Why the big crowds at his rallies are misleading indicators of actual voter behavior at the ballot box THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | As expected, police have “suspended” the countrywide mobilistion tour by Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. After pulling large crowds across the country, I am sure government got …

The transformation of democracy from a political form to a religious movement THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda |  Last week, I had an encounter with a democracy jihadist called Jeffrey Smith during a debate on Twitter (X) Spaces. The next day, he took to Twitter (X) accusing me of supporting despotism …

The most likely costs and consequences of attempts by the international community to impose a political solution on any country THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Africa seems to be going back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s when military coups and civil wars were a regular occurrence in many countries …

Why our country needs creative politicians who can sequence ultimate goals and penultimate aims THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The opposition in Uganda claim to have a broad strategic objective: to end dictatorship, incompetence, corruption, human rights abuses and build political institutions and implement public policies that can create a …

How Uganda’s former largest opposition party is killing itself using its own false narratives THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is in deep, deadly crisis. Its leadership is locked in a ferocious fight verbal and physical. Each side accuses the other of being bribed by …

How did we come so late to the claim of Putin’s megalomania as the cause of European instability? THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | NATO leaders meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, have resolved that once the war in Ukraine ends, that country will be admitted into the alliance. Since the war began, …

How government decision to build a large international convention centre in Munyonyo has been its best  THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Recently, I had a debate with some Ugandan friends on the decision of government to build an international convention center in Munyonyo in partnership with Sudhir Ruparelia. Uganda will …