FOREWARNED: The dangers of family rule – the case of Uganda

By Oweyegha-Afunaduula

Way back in 2009 The Independent published a public awareness raising article on President Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s determination to establish family rule in Uganda titled “Family rule in Uganda. It is likely most of the reading public never chanced to see and read the article.

Citing historian Samwiri Karugire ‘s lecture on the topic “Wind of Change or Merely Change? African Politics Since Independence”, The Independent stressed that the biggest ills of Africa are the numbing corruption and nepotism. Karugire, as cited by the Independent, stated that our African rulers become insecure in their sumptuous offices and, therefore, they must surround themselves with their own relatives with whom, of course, they loot the national treasuries.’

Quoting journalist David Lamb, Karugire said: ‘The slain President William Tolbert of Liberia, when he was president of that country, made his brother Frank, president of the senate; another brother Stephen minister of finance; his sister Lucia was appointed mayor of the city of Bentol; one of his sons Ambassador at Large, his daughter Wilhemina presidential physician; his niece Tula, presidential dietician; his three nephews respectively, assistant minister for presidential affairs, agricultural attach in Rome and vice governor of the national bank; his four sons in-law respectively, minister of defence, deputy minister of works, commissioner for immigration and board member for Air Liberia. One brother-in-law was appointed to the senate, another as ambassador to Guinea and yet another as mayor of the capital city, Monrovia.’

This is not unlike what President Tibuhaburwa Museveni has done in Uganda. President Yoweri Museveni’s tenure in Uganda has seen significant involvement of his family in governmental roles (Bett, 2025). His wife Janet Museveni is Minister of Education, His son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is Chief of Defense Forces. His brother Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho a.k.a Salim Saleh is in charge of Operation Wealth Operation, a Member of the High Command of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces, and all leaders become anything in Uganda make pilgrimages to the man. This is what is called political patrimony. It is the fulcrum of patronage. Other relatives of the President in his government include:Bright Rwamirama – Minister for Animal Industry (His cousin); Shedrack Nzeire – Senior Presidential Advisor on Defense (His step brother); Miriam Karugaba – Administrator at The State House (His sister-in-law); Sabiiti Muzeyi – Former Deputy Inspector General of Police (His cousin);James Kateera – Military Commander (Cousin of his wife); Faith Mirembe – Private Secretary In Education and Social Services (His cousin); Sam Kutesa – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (Father-in-law of Museveni’s son, Muhoozi); Allan Matsiko – Special Forces Command’s Intelligence Director (husband to Sam Kutesa daughter, the father-in-law of Muhoozi); Jim Muhwezi – Minister For National Security (Cousin Of Museveni’s wife); Susan Muhwezi – Presidential Assistant of the African Growth Opportunity Act (Cousin Of Museveni’s wife); John Karazaarwe – Senior Presidential Advisor On Local Government (Cousin Of Museveni’s wife); Henry Tumukunde – Former Senior Military Officer (Married a cousin of Museveni’s wife);  Moses Byaruhanga – Senior Presidential Advisor (Married a cousin of Museveni’s wife); Hope Nyakairu – Under-Secretary for Finance and Administration at The State House(Cousin Of Museveni’s wife); Jolly Sabune – Managing Director Cotton Development Authority (Cousin of Museveni’s wife); Natasha Museveni Karugire – Presidential Assistant In Charge of Household At State House (Museveni’s daughter); Joseph Ekwau – Presidential Advisor on Veterinary Issues (His nephew). This might explain why there is a lot of violence and kidnapping before during and after elections. Uganda is owned and ruled by the family of the President. The thought of losing the privilege perturbs the mind of the President. It would perturb you too if you were the one who sowed family rule.

This why Samwiri Karugire asked whether Uganda has gone through a wind of change or a mere change in the wind in regard to these African political practices. However, The Independent (2009) wondered what Samwiri Karugire would say since President Tibuhaburwa Museveni Natasha, the first daughter in the President family to his son, Edwin Karugire. What would Samwiri Karugire say when confronted with the reality of family rule in Uganda today?

Other African despots who behaved exactly like President Tolbert and President Tibuhaburwa Museveni were African despots of his time like Marshal Mobutu Sese Seko of then Zaire, Daniel arap Moi of Kenya, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Gnasingbe Eyadema of Togo, Obiang Ngwena of Equatorial Guinea, and many others (The Independent, 2009).

The Independent (2009) cited celebrated journalist Onyango Obbo and Professor Oloka Onyango (I understand these two are brothers and children of former Academic Registrar of Makerere University, Bernard Onyango) who both agreed that very early President Tibuhaburwa Museveni.

Onyango Obbo said, “One reason Museveni ended up with so many relatives in key security positions, is that fairly early in his presidency he sought to entrench his power by limiting the independent growth of his party, the NRM, and to dismantle the institutions of state (which he had, admittedly, helped rebuild considerably because he needed them for the reconstruction effort in his first 10 years in power). But one can never govern without organised institutions, and a force you can rely on to counter challenges to your authority. That is how, among other reasons, the security forces became the bedrock of Museveni’s power.” (The Independent, 2009).

Oloka Onyango said, “Museveni’s policy has always been to construct personal rule, not institutional rule. He has destroyed all institutions. And you could see this from the very beginning,’ Dr Oloka told The Independent, adding; “This is the trajectory he took from 1989 ‘consolidation and marginalisation. So, when you take that course, you have very few options especially in the new international setting i.e. who can best insulate you from the International Criminal Court (ICC) if not family [son and brother]”.

As the title of my article above says I want to explore the dangers of family rule using Uganda as a case study. Because I have previously explored many of the dangers in My previous writings, in this article I will just list the dangers here so that those who want to research more on the m can go ahead and do so. We need serious research in all dimensions of our deplorable situation. Here we go:

1. Personalist rule.
2. Personalist political party in power.
3. Genocidal environment.
4. Ecocidal environment.
5. Ethnocidal Environment.
6. Intellectual death of the nation.
7. Apartheid-Style Governance of the Nation.
8. Neglect of quality of education, health, nutrition and future of the nation.
9. Deep state.
10. Ethnicisation of the nation’s economy.
11. Political ethnicisation and ethnic politicisation.
12. Depoliticisation.
13. De-democratisation.
14. Depoliticisation
15. Exacerbated Human rights violations
16. Exacerbated abuse of power and the national budget.
17. Death of debating society.
18. Militarisation of society.
19. State-inspired violence.
20. Construction of a monolithic society.
21. Unwarranted Kidnappings and killings.
22. Domination of politics, leadership, governance and business by foreigners to cushion family rule.
23. Raising foreigners over and above indigenous groups to cushion family rule.
24. Erosion of citizenship, sovereignty and nationality to cushion family rule.
25. Destruction of the local environments through land grabbing by people connected to power ethnically and kinwise.
26. Imposed poverty and slavery (internal and external).
27. Exploitation of natural resources by people closely related to the ruling family.
28. De-institutionalisation.
29. Overconcentration of power and authority in the institution of President.
30. Disregard for and encroachment on the Constitution to remove constitutional roadblocks to family rule (e.g. age limits and term limits
31. Accelerated oppression through taxation.
32. Exacerbated ethnic nepotism and corruption, accompanied by protection of the corrupt who tend to be connected to power.
33. Exacerbated soft spot for refugees ethnically related to power.
34. Buying the consciences of Members of Parliament, Spiritual leaders and ordinary people by power for political gain (i.e., entrenchment of family rule).
35. Use of money and jobs to glue people to family rule.

If you have followed the reasoning in this article, and if you have been following developments in Uganda, you may more characteristics of family rule.

For God and My Country.

Prof. Oweyegha-Afunaduula is a member of Center for Critical Thinking and Alternative Analysis

Reading List

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