Museveni: Why I cannot retire now

President Museveni has said that he would have retired long ago, but Africa and Uganda still have so many challenges that he needs to confront.

Responding to questions on his social media platforms, the president, who is in Japan, said that there are a number of problems that need his attention.

He wrote: "I would have retired long ago if I was sure that the crucial actors saw the danger that Africa has been in ever since 1453 when the Turks captured Constantinopole, blocked the silk road for the Europeans and forced them to come to Africa on their way to the East. One of the strategic bottlenecks is market and political fragmentation. The medicine for this is economic and political integration. The medicine for market fragmentation and political balkanization is economic integration like the EAC and also political integration (East African Federation or Confederation). Why don’t political actors, if they really care about Africa, talk about these issues in addition to talking about Museveni’s retirement?"

President Museveni has been in power for 33 years. In 2005, he supported the move to remove constitutional term limits effectively meaning that he can run for president endlessly.

The other remaining road block to his ambitions, the presidential age-limit of 75, was removed in 2017 during a chaotic process that saw a number of MPs roughed up.

Museveni, who makes 75 years this year has already been endorsed by his party, the NRM as 2021 presidential flag bearer.

"I am not impressed by any so called leader or actor, who does not see this danger and it has always been our conviction and our duty to wake up the Africans, work for their unity so as to insure our future. This is what keeps me in active politics as long as the Ugandan people support me. Wake up to the dangers Africa has been facing for the last 500 years," Museveni wrote.