How Besigye’s hold over FDC has undermined its pretence to be a vehicle for democracy THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | “Follow an idea from its birth to its triumph,” Bertrand de Jouvenel observed in his 1948 volume, On Power, “and it becomes clear that it came to power at …
Read More »Africa’s highway to nowhere
Why our continent’s faith in foreign direct investment as a solution to our poverty is a pipedream THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Many presidents in Africa believe the development of our nations will come from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). If a “foreign investor” – most especially a white man …
Read More »Africa’s real intellectual crisis
Why Museveni is not the cause of the problems of Uganda but rather their product and reflection THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Last week, I accepted to join a whatsapp chat group of Ugandan “intellectuals”. The administrator told me that it discusses “serious issues.” I therefore …
Read More »Are Ugandans docile?
Why last month’s scuffles in parliament excited the public but did not lead to popular protests THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Last week, poorly trained security operatives entered the parliament’s main chamber and removed opposition members who were protesting plans by the ruling party to amend the constitution …
Read More »Inside Museveni’s life presidency
Why the removal of age limits may be the best way to get a peaceful succession in Uganda THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | There is consensus among Ugandan, African, and even global elites that presidents who rule for long make peaceful succession impossible. This informs the current …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Opening the Pandora’s Box
THE LAST WORD: How the nullification of the presidential elections in Kenya has put that country on a slippery slope Andrew M. Mwenda | THE LAST WORD | The Kenya Supreme Court annulled the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ordered a re-run because the balloting and transmission of results …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Africa through North Korean eyes
Why this communist state, with per capita income like ours, manufactures nuclear weapons and satellites while we can’t By Andrew M. Mwenda Last week the U.S. announced its intelligence showed North Korea was planning to test another nuclear weapon. If it does, it will be the sixth nuclear test by …
Read More »Kasami and Uganda’s tipping point
By Andrew M. Mwenda His death either marks or coincides with the death of something fundamental – moderation It is said that the spirits of our ancestors snatch human souls shortly just before daybreak. And it was at exactly 6am on Friday March 11 that former Permanent Secretary in the …
Read More »Lessons from 2016 elections
By Andrew M. Mwenda Why NRM needs to rediscover its ideological footing by digging itself out of being a cash and carry government During the last campaigns I drove 3,700km across Uganda holding what Americans call `Town Hall Meetings’ in big and small towns and trading centers from Rukungiri to …
Read More »Besigye says ready to fight Museveni
By Andrew M. Mwenda This unplugged discussion happened when The Independent’s Andrew Mwenda visited former FDC presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye, who is under siege at his home in Kasangati, a Kampala city suburb. They agreed to publish excerpts of their discussion on why Besigye thinks his victory was stolen …
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