How the military became entrenched in Ugandan politics
Ugandan army and police officers secure the streets in Kampala on the last day of elections campaign on January 12, 2026. The military remains an enduring pillar of power in the country’s civilian order.
As Ugandans cast their ballots on January 15, the election again underscored a political reality: the military remains the most enduring pillar of power in the country’s civilian order.
The roots lie in 1986, when President Yoweri Museveni transitioned from rebel leader to head of State. He inherited a country shaped by decades of coups and insurgencies, and stabilised it through a system that fused the ruling party with the armed forces.
