Ugandans should be begging me not to go - Museveni

The 81-year-old said if fellow NRM loyalists genuinely believed in the same principles, they would “be begging me not to leave,” rather than calling for his exit.

President Yoweri Museveni has chastised Ugandans who speak against his lengthy grip on power, arguing that his continued leadership is grounded in shared NRM ideology, not a personal hunger for power.

Speaking in a radio talk show in Eastern Uganda last week, the 81 year old condemned politicians including those in his own NRM party, who speak ill of his four decade leadership.

Such leaders, he said, lack vision and seek to satisfy their own interests.

He added that if fellow NRM loyalists genuinely believed in the same principles, they would “be begging me not to leave,” rather than calling for his exit.

Praise for stability, criticism for authoritarian drift

Museveni has been at the helm of Uganda since 1986, following a guerrilla war that brought his National Resistance Movement to power.

Over the years, he has overseen constitutional changes—including the removal of presidential term and age limits—that paved the way for his extended stay in office.

In 2025, he officially accepted his party’s nomination and is currently on a campaign trail to potentially extend his rule into its fifth decade.

President Yoweri Museveni

On the talks show, Museveni cited the example of the former Tanzanian leader Julius Nyerere, whom he begged not to leave office during the push for East African Federation.

Supporters credit Museveni with bringing stability, economic growth, and regional influence to Uganda.

But critics argue that his long tenure has eroded democratic institutions. They contend that the repeated constitutional amendments and consolidation of power point to authoritarian tendencies, stifling political competition and dissent. Analysts warn that the democratic stagnation risks undermining genuine institutional development.