Uganda is a nation of the young — our median age is just 21 years. But our leadership? A relic of the past. President Yoweri Museveni, 81 years old and clinging to power for nearly four decades, presides over a cabinet that looks more like a retirement home than a government.
The average age of Uganda’s cabinet exceeds 77 — a shameful disconnect from the population they claim to serve. These leaders are not just out of touch with the youth — they are fundamentally incapable of understanding or addressing the aspirations of a new generation.
Meet the old guard tightening their grip
• Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni: 81 years
• Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali: 86 years
• Matia Kasaija: 81 years
• Francis Mwebesa: 79 years
• Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime: 78 years
• Hillary Onek: 77 years
• Janet Kataaha Museveni: 76 years
• Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire: 75 years
• Wilson Muruli Mukasa: 73 years
• Gen. Abubaker Odongo: 73 years
This gerontocracy has cemented its rule through decades of political manipulation, military dominance, and constitutional mutilation. They have built a fortress of fear and obedience — not service and progress.
Where are the voices of the young? Where are the digital natives, the innovators, the climate activists, the tech entrepreneurs, the modern educators — the actual future of Uganda?
Instead, we are ruled by men who grew up before television was widespread in Uganda, who legislate for a country they can no longer comprehend, and who have zero stake in the long-term consequences of their corruption and incompetence.
This is not just about age, it is about failure.
• Our education system is crumbling.
• Our healthcare is in shambles.
• Youth unemployment is among the highest in the world.
• Innovation is stifled, dissent is criminalized, and talent is forced to flee.
Museveni’s aging cabinet is a symbol of stagnation, not stability. It represents a dying regime dragging a vibrant nation down with it.
The time has come for Ugandans to demand more than survival. We must demand leadership that reflects the soul of this nation — young, bold, and unafraid to break from the past.
This is not just a political crisis. It is a moral one. We deserve a future. Not a funeral.