President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has given the clearest signal that he is ready to relinquish his position as president even though his office extends to 2016. He declared as much on Tuesday, July 5, 2021, in Wakiso District in the outskirts of the country’s capital Kampala, after laying a foundation stone for a Multi-billion Biological Drugs and mRNA Vaccine manufacturing facility.
His Deputy President, William Ruto was also present. The 76-year old president who is also a former guerrilla leader stated he held back his retirement plan because of the East African Federation and what he tagged as a center of gravity in Africa.
“Please you, people,”“I want to go and look after my cows. Create a center of gravity, I push you there, then I go and look after my cows. I am very glad that His Excellency Ruto and other Kenyan and East African leaders support this idea. In Arusha, they are now talking the same language of a confederation as the first step to the federation,”
Yoweri Museveni, 6th term serving Ugandan President
Nile post stated that Museveni was replying to Ruto’s observation that he owes other leaders a unique program of the East African Federation before his retirement.
“You owe us a debt. Before you retire and if possible in the next two or three years, you owe us the fruition of the EA federation. We are here as leaders and citizens of East Africa to support you and other leaders in the region to eliminate barriers that impede trade, investment, labor, and people working together,” Ruto said.
Museveni has been ruling Uganda for the past 35 years non-stop since then he made his way to the State House in a revolt outlived former Presidents Idi Amin, Milton Obote, and Yusuf Lule.
He benefitted from a change in the constitution twice when he modified age limits and terms for the presidency in order to extend his stay in power. He is however still serving in his sixth term in office.