By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. The president of the Republic Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni together with his wife Janet Museveni apologized for mistakes made during their leadership of the country.
General Museveni is serving his 6th term, and he has been in power since 26th January 1986 after out sing the then President Milton Obote.
Unexpected move
Recently in an unexpected development, President Museveni and the First Lady apologized to the people of Buganda and Uganda as a whole over the mistakes the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has made over the past four decades. This happened during the official closing of a five-day spiritual gathering that took place in Kampala, which began on May 19th, 2025 and was hosted by the first daughter, Pastor Patience Rwabwogo, the lead pastor of Covenant Nations Church, under the theme “The Crossing.”
The president’s public apology was read jointly with his wife during a well-attended event dubbed the Light Up Uganda for Jesus Crusade.
The apology
President Museveni and wife showed remorse and sought forgiveness from the public overall for the ills the NRM has caused to the people over the past 40 years. “God restore the favour that we had with them (people) in the beginning; bring healing to their hearts, soften the hardened hearts, and reconnect us to the original vision of our national unity and unwavering commitment to social and economic transformation of our nation together,” Museveni and his wife jointly read the prayer.
He went ahead and specifically asked for pardon from the people of Buganda and restoration of the favour he had in central region Buganda when he first came to power four decades ago. “As the top leaders of the movement, we humbly take responsibility for all the mistakes made by ourselves, our agents, and our representatives. “Therefore, I stand here to repent and ask for your forgiveness, especially the people of Buganda and the whole country,” Museveni and the First Lady jointly read the apology publicly.
Why.it was crucial to apologize to Buganda
President Museveni’s public apology comes as the country gears up for the 2026 general elections, which some say is aimed at regaining Buganda’s lost support. Before Museveni overthrew Obote’s government there was a guerilla war that lasted five years. The war was mainly in Buganda, where the kingdom and its people were very vital for Museveni’s victory. The Buganda region supported Museveni in all ways to ensure capture of power.
Following the bush war, Museveni and the NRM garnered massive support in Buganda in multiple elections. However, the 2021 general elections turned out differently for the NRM and Museveni himself. His popular support in Buganda massively shrunk with all NRM ministers losing their parliamentary seats.
Museveni, once a darling in the region, suffered a humiliating defeat by Robert Kyagulanyi alis Bobi Wine’s youngest opposition political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP). NRM garnered 838,858 votes in Buganda, while the NUP garnered 1,453,535 votes. Additionally, NUP won 57 parliamentary seats while NRM got only 20.
Analysts say that Museveni has technically isolated Buganda and its aspirations. They argue that the NRM policies have been against the development and transformation of Buganda as a kingdom. Buganda Kingdom officials have on several occasions publicly expressed the kingdom’s concerns about the government’s delay in returning its properties, which, according to reports, are some of the promises Museveni made to Buganda to gain its support during the bush war. Analysts say the delay is a deliberate move to cripple the economic development of the kingdom.
Mixed reactions
Uganda’s First Couple apologies prompted intense public debate — with some interpreting it as a sign of humility and repentance, and others questioning whether it should lead to tangible changes in policy or governance. Some cultural leaders, political figures, and social media commentators have responded to the apology with scepticism, asking whether it would be followed by redress for past injustices, particularly those affecting Buganda’s traditional structures, land issues, or political relations.
Mr Julius Odeke a journalist also activist in an open letter he wrote to President Museveni said:
Mr. President, on Tuesday, 27th May 2025, from a distance, a Daily Monitor reporter called me to seek my view on what your apology to Mengo and Ugandans meant. My response was brief and simple: “Release political prisoners like Dr Kizza Besigye and allow freedom of speech and expression.” It hurts for you to repent to God and apologise to a section of Ugandans some of whom have not suffered.
For your apology to be taken seriously by my relatives, children and I, means you have to compensate me for the two gunshot wounds that I sustained while on duty on Friday, 18th February 2011. Mr. President, your apology to Mengo and Ugandans means that you have apologized even to me. But a lot has to be done by your government, particularly the military whose elements inflicted several wounds on me. Today, I walk while limping and it will be like that for the rest of my life. Mukasa Frank a political analyst, in an interview with Africa-Press while reacting to the First Couple’s apology said “To be honest that apology wasn’t from the heart. I don’t think it was genuine because they were reading from a piece of paper and that is where it remained. A true apology comes from the heart. You don’t have to read it from somewhere. said Mukasa.
Forgive and forget in good faith
Faruk Kirunda, Deputy Presidential Press Secretary called on Ugandans to stop attaching conditions to the apology offered by President Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, insisting that the gesture was voluntary and should be accepted in good faith. He made the appeal in a post on X (formerly Twitter) following days of mixed responses to the First Couple’s unprecedented apology to the Baganda community. He further defended the authenticity of the apology, warning critics against imposing expectations or preconditions for reconciliation.
“The duo apology given by HE Kaguta Museveni and First Lady Janet has elicited diverse commentaries with some of the reactions placing conditions for the apology to be ‘accepted’,” Kirunda wrote. “Let’s be honest as Ugandans; the First Couple gave the apology on their own volition. Nobody saw it coming. Why then place demands on them?” He argued that some of the demands being voiced relate to state responsibilities and should not be conflated with a moral gesture of remorse.
Uganda’s challenges that are attributed to the current regime
In November 2024, NUP leader Bobi Wine expressed concern over the extended leadership of President Museveni, saying that his overstay in power is the countries’ major challenge. According to Boni Wine the prolonged rule by President Museveni has led to unmet promises and widespread dissatisfaction among Ugandans. Gen Museveni celebrated his 80th birthday on 15th September last year and a few months before the 2026 general elections. Mr Museveni is serving his 6th term.
Bobi Wine argued that President Museveni’s administration has failed to deliver on key infrastructure and development projects in some Ugandan regions. He cited an example of Ugandans living Western region of Uganda who have grown increasingly frustrated as several important government pledges remain unfulfilled.
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