Rt. Rev. Masaaba Kipto’s nauseating glorification of Uganda’s aging autocrat, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is yet another example of the shameful culture of sycophancy rotting the very fabric of our nation. The bishop’s recent remarks, likening Museveni to some sort of divine gift and audaciously wishing to reverse time for the 79-year-old dictator, are not only absurd but an insult to millions of suffering Ugandans. It is a damning reflection of how far Museveni’s tentacles of manipulation have reached—tainting even the sacred spaces meant to hold leaders accountable.
Let’s not mince words here: Museveni’s “discipline” is a façade. So what if he doesn’t drink? Sobriety alone does not make a leader virtuous, nor does it compensate for decades of corruption, oppression, and blatant self-preservation. Under Museveni’s iron-fisted rule, Uganda has descended into a dystopia where poverty thrives, healthcare crumbles, and dissent is crushed with brutal efficiency. A sober dictator is still a dictator. Abstaining from alcohol while feasting on the country’s resources is hardly commendable—it’s hypocritical at best and diabolical at worst.
Bishop Kipto’s statement reeks of blind adulation and deliberate ignorance. If Museveni truly were the blessing the bishop claims, why does Uganda remain shackled by unemployment, mismanagement, and the systematic dismantling of democratic institutions? The praise lavished on this man is not a testament to his leadership but rather an indictment of a society beaten into submission. Religious leaders, once the moral compass of our communities, have now become lapdogs for the regime, spewing propaganda and legitimizing tyranny.
The bishop’s wish to “reverse years” for Museveni is beyond grotesque. Reverse years for what? So that Museveni can continue to loot the nation, strangle opposition voices, and extend his family’s grip on Uganda’s resources? For four decades, this man has treated Uganda as his personal property, appointing his cronies to key positions and grooming his own son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for a dynastic succession. Uganda does not need more years of Museveni’s misrule; it needs liberation from his suffocating grasp.
Museveni’s supporters will undoubtedly use Kipto’s remarks to reinforce the narrative of a leader “chosen by God.” But let’s not forget: even the devil masquerades as an angel of light. Behind Museveni’s carefully curated image of humility lies a ruthless despot who has robbed Uganda of its potential and destroyed the dreams of countless generations. His so-called “discipline” has done nothing to curb the rampant greed, nepotism, and brutality that define his regime.
As Uganda inches closer to another election cycle, Kipto’s comments should serve as a wake-up call to all Ugandans. We must reject this cult of personality that deifies Museveni and demand a leader who values accountability over adoration. Uganda’s future cannot hinge on the whims of one man, no matter how much he is praised by opportunistic clergy.
Enough is enough. Museveni’s reign has brought nothing but misery and despair to the majority of Ugandans. It is time to shatter this illusion of greatness and confront the ugly reality: Museveni is no savior—he is the architect of our suffering.
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