Musevini and Lack of Sustainable

Musevini and Lack of Sustainable Peace

Yoweri Museveni has been the president of Uganda for twenty-four years. In that time he has successfully brought a feeling of stability and economic growth to a nation that suffered for years under corrupt and ruthless leadership under Idi Amin. Now, however, there are similar concerns about the leadership of Musevini and many are questioning whether he too has been in power too long and become subject to the pleasures of power.

There have been allegations of vote rigging, government officials being involved in land sales at inflated prices, and international disgrace over the disappearance in millions of dollars intended for Aids relief but it has been Musevini's inability to effectively deal with the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda that has come under the most criticism. (Nyeko)

Since 1987 the LRA has been a disrupting force in northern Uganda and has adducted an estimated 30,000 children in the area and committed a series of massacres and been involved in a number of other abuses against the local population. Throughout most of Musevini's tenure in office he has provided lip service to the problems in northern Uganda but has done little to constructively address the problems. In the 24 years that Musevini has been in power he has visited northern Uganda only one time and that was only in the past year. His visit even included the area most affected by the activities of the LRA and he has promised significant aid to the area but the problems in the area have continued.

Criticism of Musevini has heightened. The national press has begun to question whether Musevini's tenure in office has led to the development of a government mirroring the conditions present during prior Ugandan governments. Journalist Andrew Mwenda, owner of the Independent, stated:

"Where NRM promised an independent, integrated and self-sustaining national economy, it has created a dependant (on foreign aid) disjointed economy. Instead of free and fair elections, we have rigged ones. Respect for human rights died in torture chambers euphemistically called safe houses. Corruption has become a virtue, nepotism a way to run our nation and tribal bigotry the running philosophy of government. The rule of law took a beating when government organized hooded gangs who began attacking the courts and threatening judges."

Musevini's political support has largely come from southern and western Uganda and there is speculation that because Musevini is not reliant upon political support from the north he has largely ignored the problems of the area. (Mwenda) Musevini, who faces opposition in the next election from northern Ugandan resident Norbert Mao, has had to deal with accusations from Mao that Musevini deliberately ignored the problems in northern Uganda as part of deliberate plan. (DP Uganda).