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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Yoweri Museveni

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Yoweri Museveni

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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been in the news quite a bit lately after following Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s lead and signing a harsh, discriminatory anti-gay bill into law. But beyond his controversial leadership, there may be some things you didn’t know about Yoweri Museveni.

Sources: Wikipedia.org, Britannica.com, Biography.com, ABCNews.go.com

En.Wikiquote.org
En.Wikiquote.org

‘Museveni’ means ‘son of a man of the Seventh’

A member of the Banyankole ethnic group in Ntungamo, Yoweri’s surname honors the Seventh Battalion of the King’s African Rifles. Many Ugandans served in this British colonial army during World War II.

TheGuardian.com
TheGuardian.com

His family were cattle herders

Museveni’s father, Amos Kaguta, was a cattle herder, and Yoweri spent much of his early childhood on a farm. He has two siblings — his sister Violet and brother Caleb, who is popularly known around Uganda as “Salim Saleh.”

Monitor.co.ug
Monitor.co.ug

He’s a born-again Christian

While attending Mbarara High School, a boys-only Christian boarding school, Museveni became a born-again Christian. The school is one of the most prestigious in the country, and many of Uganda’s leaders, including Amanya Mushega, former secretary general of the East African Community, also attended.

GlobalPost.com
GlobalPost.com

He became involved in radical political groups

While attending the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Museveni became involved in radical pan-African politics and began to identify as a Marxist. He studied economics and political science, and helped form the University Students’ African Revolutionary Front. He also received guerrilla training. Yoweri’s thesis for his degree revolved around the idea of revolutionary violence in post-colonial Africa.

BET.com
BET.com

He returned from exile to oppose Idi Amin

As a member of the intelligence service under former Ugandan President Obote, Museveni fled the country with other loyalists when Idi Amin led a successful military coup in 1971. Museveni didn’t return to Uganda until 1981, when he would continue to mount opposition against Amin to take back power.

WhatTalking.com
WhatTalking.com

He lost the election but became president anyway

After running for election in 1980 and losing to Obote, Museveni tried again in 1986, but the results did not come back in his favor. However, corruption was rampant during the election process, and it was widely believed to be rigged. After the results came out, Museveni publicly rejected them and declared himself president.

PromptNewsOnline.com
PromptNewsOnline.com

He allowed multiparty elections in 2005 despite opposing them

When he first came to power, Museveni opposed party competition. He believed that with Uganda’s history of ethnic division and tension, political parties would only increase the problem. Instead, he favored the “movement” system, in which political parties are unable to put up candidates for elections.

AllVoices.com
AllVoices.com

He has been praised for adhering to IMF Structural Adjustment Programs

When Museveni first came into power, he was fairly well respected by other nations and enjoyed broad international support. This was due in part to his economic policies designed to combat the impact of the country’s civil war such as hyperinflation and the balance of payments.

RedPepper.co.ug
RedPepper.co.ug

Museveni has been charged with human rights abuses in recent years

Beyond the strict control Museveni has exerted through legislation, he has also been accused of gross human rights abuses in his capacity as leader of the National Resistance Army. This includes alleged mass executions, torture, forcible clearings, and more.

Telegraph.co.uk
Telegraph.co.uk

Pressure from international aid sources stopped him from passing the anti-gay bill sooner

However, Nigeria’s recent legislation has opened the door for other nations to follow suit. It may be too soon to say if restricting the freedom of homosexuals in Africa is a trend.

Sources: Wikipedia.org, Britannica.com, Biography.com, ABCNews.go.com