If I were to pose a question, who is the greatest African statesman?
There would definitely be multiple nominees, such as Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, and Sir. Ketumire Masile, to mention a few, but that would be to steadfastly ignore the elephant in the room, the enormous achievements of those other great men notwithstanding. Here is why.
If you place the above-mentioned African leaders on the same pedestal as our own Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, he stands towering above the others like a monument, given his track record that can be summarised as follows;
When Museveni took power in 1986, Uganda was a failed state that was dangerously cascading on the same downhill course as Somalia.
Museveni tackled the huge challenges of the day, rehabilitated the broken-down infrastructure, rebuilt the economy that was in shambles, restored investor confidence, tackled head-on the HIV-AIDS pandemic by controlling its spread and reducing fatalities through a vigorous, well-thought-out awareness campaign.
His government rolled out a mass immunisation program for all the country’s children, presided over political and macroeconomic stability, guaranteed the security of people and their property, ushered in a new constitutional order that safeguards civil rights, freedoms and liberties and promotes affirmative action, liberalised and transformed the economy into a private sector-led economy, and improved Uganda’s international image among others.
While he still had his hands full on the domestic front, on the international scene, Museveni was doing some serious heavy lifting by playing a key role in Rwanda’s liberation war that ended the 1994 genocide and helped to earn Rwandan refugees (who had been exiled for decades) the right to their homeland.
Museveni was not done yet. He was involved in a peace-building mission to pacify Burundi after the assassination of President Ndadaye. He also played a key role in the dislodgement of Mobutu Sese Seko kuku Ngebedu Wazabanga, helped to train a contingent of the African National Congress (ANC) military wing’s Umukontho we Sizwe, translated as “spear of the nation”.
He supported the late Col. Garang’s SPLM/A’s peace efforts for South Sudan’s self-determination, championed the revival of the East African community, sent Ugandan troops on peacekeeping missions to stabilise volatile African countries like Liberia, the Central African Republic, and Somalia, (which has helped to neutralise the Alshabaab terrorists who had started making terrorist incursions in other East African countries).
Museveni’s intervention and effective deployment of the UPDF broke the back of the marauding terrorist gangs that were even threatening maritime transport on the Indian Ocean, and helped to create a semblance of stability and roll back the decades-long unrest, clan insurgents and general lawlessness that bedevilled Somalia since the whirlwind departure of Mengistu.
In addition, Museveni earned huge credit and worldwide admiration for his handling and containment of the spread of the nasty and obnoxious COVID-19 pandemic, just like he did decades earlier with the HIV/AIDS scourge.
Henceforth, in as far as Museveni has positively impacted Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, South Sudan, Congo, Central African republic, South Africa, Somalia and the East African community, no other African leader gets even close to a record of a single leader positively impacting over 10 countries, except the indefatigable Otto Von Bismarck (Duke of Lavenburg) who masterminded the unification of Germany in 1871 and served as the first German Chancellor until 1890, in which capacity he dominated the affairs of Europe for two decades.
Twitter: @jbkabagambe
The author is a lawyer
Whaaat !!!
This must be one of the most insulting articles I have read in a long while .
Even if some of are used to being insulted , there comes a day when we cannot stay silent when those insults are loaded with fraudulent misrepresentation .
For starters , Mr.Kabagambe mentions names of some of Africa`s great leaders and then declares that SL is stands towering above all of them .
Really !
Our Museveni who mourned that he does not understand why Ugandans that are so poor cerebrate football ?
Is there any body worth the name who can even dream that our Museveni towers above Mandela or Julius Nyerere , two exceptional leaders who stepped aside and let others lead ?
Does the writer even know what “positive impact ” means ?
Maybe , he should take a deep breath and count the dead bodies that that “impact” has manufactured in Rwanda , Congo , South Sudan , Somalia .
Gosh , where is the logic here ; have we reached that point when we cerebrate death , invasions that trigger massacres , displacement of populations , creation of internal refugees , ethnic cleansings ?!
The very fact that Supreme Leader at 86 is here still looking to find a solution for a problem called Uganda -after 40 years-should be enough to strike his name off the list any successful leader by any standards .
Mukulu Kabagambe , you should listen to Mwami Museveni himself . He has told you that he is not a Mandela who went home even masses still needed him as their leader . He has indicated to you that he is no Nyerere who not only returned to his home village but was also humble enough to confess that he has make lot of mistakes during the 27 years he was in power.
Mandela argued that South Africa was not going to collapse unless he stayed in power. He was right
Nyerere akasema that Tanzania will survive and prosper after his presidency . Tanzania has is doing wonders
Our own leader implies that Uganda might end if he is not its Ruler .
Surely, this is one of the most hopeless articles anyone could have written. Does this guy live in Uganda? Has he been to schools and hospitals pre 1986, and post 1986? Or is he trying hard to ingratiate himself into an appointment of some kind, by writing the nonsense and lies in his article?
The whole article is a stinker , full stop !
Its questionable if the writer realizes that by comparing Supreme Leader Museveni with Bismarck , he is actually saying that our President will be remembered for persecuting his real and imagined opponents and that offensive authoritarianism tendency that Bismarck was known for.
I think is that some of these people get so excited they forget that it is possible to praise someone you like or admire without indulging in primitive hyperbole
In other words Betty, the guy is as BOGUS as the person he is Boot and Butt licking.
Otherwise, I wonder what the Kabagambe of this country are waiting for, to nominate our 86-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa for the Nobel Peace Prize!
Someone should remind Kabagambe that: From Luweero in 1981, for 45 years and counting, the NRA/UPDF have never fought and killed any foreign enemy but Ugandans.
Someone should remind Kabagambe that: contrary to the International law, Gen Tibuhaburwa conscripted the Rwandese refugees into his NRA fighting force to turn the guns on Ugandans their 30-year host; who housed, fed treated them when sick and educated them.
Someone should remind Kabagambe that: Contrary to the Geneva Convention, having conscripted and trained child-soldiers and refugees into his NRA rebel outfit, remains an indelible WAR CRIME and CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY!
Someone should remind Kabagambe that: it was Tibuhaburwa who funded, trained, armed the RPF and therefore pushed the hands of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide.
Someone should remind Kabagambe that Gen Tibu hands is now caked black with blood of thousands of Ugandans, which therefore disqualify him from coming close to the Status of people he discounted like Nelson Mandela.
In order come to term with Gen Tibuhaburwa Political History Ranking, someone should also remind Kabagambe to read Prof. Mahmood Mamdani Book, SLOW POISON.
In other words, Kabagambe has come close to declaring Adolf Hitler with whom Gen Tibuhaburwa should be ranked. a Saint.
Forgive my Greek: Kabagambe’s article is but a historical self-condemnation of a useful obscurant, sycophantic idiot; who probably wanted to be on the List of our PROBLEM OF AFRICA’s Cabinet appointment or Special Presidential Advisor on Special Operation.
Comparing Museveni to Otto von Bismarck is an insult to the latter! Given all the bloodshed Museveni has sowed in the subregion, he’d compare to Josef Mengele if he were slightly educated.
Bismarck is credited with German unification; in contrast Museveni will be remembered for masterminding Uganda’s worst segmentation. To wit, Uganda had 36 districts in 1986 compared to 146 districts now. The number of ministries and their matching State House units is a study in administrative failure, all this without considering his blatant nepotism, gerrymandering, entrenched corruption, etc.!
This Kabagambe must be another of those ill-advised NRM apologists.
What a deeply flawed article! The claim that Uganda was simply a failed state in 1986 conveniently ignores an important question: who spent five years waging an armed insurgency against the Obote government? No country can develop normally while fighting a prolonged civil war. To blame all of Uganda’s pre-1986 problems on previous governments while ignoring the impact of the bush war is intellectually dishonest.
Museveni’s most notable achievement has not been institution-building but the gradual personalisation of state power. Over the years, key institutions like the military, Parliament, the judiciary, and the executive have become increasingly dependent on one individual rather than functioning independently. That is the opposite of sustainable statecraft.
Museveni himself has repeatedly suggested that he works primarily for his own interests and those of his family. It is dishonest to compare Museveni to true nation builders like Mandela and Nyerere.
Beyond Uganda, Museveni’s regional legacy leaves a lot to be desired. He has often acted in ways that have contributed to instability while aligning closely with Western strategic interests. His interventions in DRC for example, have enabled the plunder of that region.
Most importantly, truly transformative leaders understand when it is time to leave. Many respected Pan-African leaders handed over power and allowed others to advance their vision. After four decades in office, Museveni appears determined to remain in power until death while laying the groundwork for his drunkard and dimwit son to take over. Uganda is a republic, not a family estate.
Comparing Museveni to Bismarck is not only exaggerated but fundamentally misunderstands both history and leadership