As Yoweri Kaguta Museveni seeks a seventh term in office, a startling statistic puts his longevity into perspective: since he took power in 1986, Kenya has had five presidents, two constitutions, and three major curriculum changes. For four decades, the "Man with the Hat" has remained the immovable object of East African politics.

Museveni’s endurance is a study in political survival. He has reinvented himself from a Marxist guerilla leader to a darling of the West, and finally, to an authoritarian patriarch. While his peers—Moi, Mkapa, Kikwete—have long retired or passed on, Museveni remains, arguing that he is the only "vision bearer" capable of steering Uganda into the oil era.

The Cost of Stability

"He trades on the currency of peace," observes a Makerere University political scientist. "For the older generation who remember the skulls of the Luweero Triangle, Museveni is a savior. For the youth who only know peace, he is a barrier." This generational disconnect is the defining fault line of the 2026 election.

Critics argue that his longevity has come at the cost of institutions. The line between the state, the NRM party, and the military has blurred to the point of invisibility. Yet, his supporters point to the chaos in neighboring Sudan and DRC as proof that strongman rule is a necessary evil in a volatile region.

• Regional Hegemon: Museveni views himself as the grandfather of the East African Community. His influence shapes regional security policy, from Somalia to South Sudan. A Uganda without Museveni is a geopolitical unknown that Nairobi, despite its democratic posturing, quietly fears.