By Muhimbise George
If there is one word that defines Uganda’s political journey since independence, it is betrayal. From the 1962 Constitution, the Kabaka Yekka–UPC alliance, the 1970 coup, the Moshi Conference consensus, the 1980 election, the Nairobi peace talks, the Ten Point Programme, the 1986 revolution, to even the 1996 Constitution — all began with hope and ended in betrayal.
The books written by Uganda’s post-independence actors — whether politicians, soldiers, or revolutionaries — all carry one recurring theme: betrayal. It is the cancer that has eaten through every political party — UPC, DP, FDC, NUP — and even the religious institutions, trade unions, and professional associations that once stood as moral beacons.
Every election cycle, nearly 70% of incumbent MPs lose their seats. This is not merely because new candidates are better — it is a symptom of a broken political trust. Ugandans no longer believe in their leaders. Many have given up completely, with about 40% of voters not even showing up at the polls. And of those who do, many vote out of frustration rather than conviction — saying, “let him also eat.”
This disillusionment has turned politics into a game of personalities rather than principles. Voters now elect comedians, musicians, and opportunists — not because they believe in them, but because the so-called elites betrayed them. Yet this form of protest voting will not liberate us. It only deepens the cycle of mediocrity and bad governance.
As we approach another election, Ugandans must ask themselves a simple but profound question:
What kind of leader do we truly deserve?
It cannot be another smooth talker with lofty promises — we’ve had enough of those. It cannot be the one who draws the biggest crowds — dictators do that too. The leader Uganda needs must be judged not by words, but by character; not by popularity, but by principle; not by⁷ ambition, but by integrity.
And when we look across the political landscape today, one man stands out — Gen. Mugisha Muntu.
A Man of Principle in a Sea of Betrayal
At just 23 years old, Muntu made a decision that defined his character forever. Fresh out of Makerere University, with all the privileges life could offer — including family ties to President Milton Obote through his father, the UPC Chair for Ankole — Muntu chose a path few would dare take. He walked away from comfort, connections, and guaranteed privilege to join a ragtag group of rebels in the bush fighting for a better Uganda.
At that time, President Obote would have gladly rewarded Muntu with any position he desired. But Muntu wasn’t looking for power; he was seeking purpose. He traded personal security for national liberation — something almost unthinkable for a young graduate today.
That single decision revealed the essence of who Muntu is: a man who puts country before self.
Years later, when he was dropped as Army Commander in 1998, President Museveni personally pleaded with him 18 times to accept the post of Minister of Defence. Muntu refused — not out of pride, but conviction. He understood that accepting that offer would compromise his values and align him with the very system he was trying to reform.
Ask yourself: how many Ugandan politicians today — even presidential candidates — would refuse a ministerial job offered by the President?
When some army officers openly interfered in politics in 1996, especially in Ntungamo to undermine Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, Muntu was one of the few courageous voices who confronted President Museveni directly, demanding that the army stay out of politics. That was not just bravery — it was integrity in action.
Why Muntu Is the Leader Uganda Needs
Uganda’s crisis is not about a lack of smart people — it’s a crisis of character.
We have had leaders with degrees, eloquence, and revolutionary credentials — yet they have failed us because they lacked moral strength.
Mugisha Muntu represents something different. He is calm but firm, humble but principled, disciplined yet courageous. He is the kind of leader who won’t be intoxicated by power or corrupted by privilege — because he has already turned them down before.
If Uganda is ever to heal from its long history of betrayal, we need a leader who embodies trust, discipline, integrity, and selflessness. A leader who will not steal from us, deceive us, or divide us — but unite us through example.
That leader is Mugisha Muntu — the president Uganda truly deserves.
