Politics 27 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
The Erosion of the NRM's Revolutionary Promise
Critics argue that the National Resistance Army's 1986 takeover was more a selfish power grab than a true revolution, with Uganda's political and social spheres showing profound decay despite modest economic gains. Longevity in power has fueled corruption and dysfunction, derailing any initial ideals of transformation. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/corrosion-of-nrm-revolution--5405862
The 1986 victory of President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA), now the National Resistance Movement (NRM), has long been hailed as a revolution. However, skeptics like UPC ideologue Yoga Adhola dismiss it as a mere power grab, drawing flawed parallels to Cuba’s revolution via Regis Debray’s ideas.
Guerrilla movements like the NRA often prioritize elite interests over societal change, cloaking power seizures in revolutionary rhetoric. Yet, some fighters may have genuinely sought political and economic transformation, risking their lives for a better Uganda.
The official narrative portrays 1986 as liberating a collapsed nation, crediting the NRM with progress. Economically, Uganda has seen steady growth comparable to regional peers, without needing a ‘revolution’.
Politically and socially, however, the picture is grim. Democracy feels hollow, state institutions are weakened, and national identity is fragmented. The past two decades mark a sharp decline from any revolutionary vision.
What derailed the promise? Prolonged rule seems key, breeding arrogance, corruption, and self-serving coteries. Power becomes an end in itself, ignoring warning signs of collapse.
Without real change, Uganda risks continued decay under the current path.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)