COLUMNISTS

Why democracy crusaders should worry less about Putin and more about its home front, the West THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, the liberal democracies of the West have been on a “moral” crusade against President Vladmir Putin. According to them, Putin is a tyrant, …

Why the big crowds at his rallies are misleading indicators of actual voter behavior at the ballot box THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | As expected, police have “suspended” the countrywide mobilistion tour by Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. After pulling large crowds across the country, I am sure government got …

How governance in Africa reflects structural imperatives, not the personalities of our leaders THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Recently, someone posted an article on our WhatsApp chatgroup about the persistence of “corruption” in Africa. It said on June 13, 1988, Pini Jason Onyegbaduo, a popular Nigerian columnist, propounded a “Hypothesis …

Why the Gabon coup is a wake-up call to intellectuals in Africa to rethink politics on the continent THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | There has been yet another a successful military coup in Africa, this time in Gabon. This is a country that has not known a military coup in …

The transformation of democracy from a political form to a religious movement THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda |  Last week, I had an encounter with a democracy jihadist called Jeffrey Smith during a debate on Twitter (X) Spaces. The next day, he took to Twitter (X) accusing me of supporting despotism …

How our prejudices have combined with an exhausted government to create a disaster for our country THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda |  The mighty World Bank has suspended all new loan applications to Uganda for passing the anti-homosexuality act. The law is primitive. I feel ashamed to be a citizen of …

The most likely costs and consequences of attempts by the international community to impose a political solution on any country THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Africa seems to be going back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s when military coups and civil wars were a regular occurrence in many countries …

Why I believe that Museveni would make a strategic partner in negotiating political reform THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Last week, I argued that political development and democratic progress in Uganda have been held back by the attitude of the opposition towards President Yoweri Museveni. It is true Museveni has …

Why our country needs creative politicians who can sequence ultimate goals and penultimate aims THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The opposition in Uganda claim to have a broad strategic objective: to end dictatorship, incompetence, corruption, human rights abuses and build political institutions and implement public policies that can create a …

How Uganda’s former largest opposition party is killing itself using its own false narratives THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is in deep, deadly crisis. Its leadership is locked in a ferocious fight verbal and physical. Each side accuses the other of being bribed by …