If Ugandans tuned into the NTV Presidential Debate expecting a grand clash of ideas strong enough to shake the pillars of State House, they instead found themselves watching what looked suspiciously like a group discussion without its group leader. The invited father of the political household, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, didn’t show up and ironically, that became the most powerful presence in the room.
As the five candidates pitched their “transformative” visions, one could not help noticing that their strongest shared policy was complaining about Museveni’s absence. In fact, some spoke more about the president than about their own manifestos. It was a free marketing campaign—with Museveni trending without even logging onto X.
Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, wearing the mantle of “new generation politics,” declared Uganda a failed state. Yet one couldn’t ignore the comedy: If the state is truly captured, how did a musician rise to become the country’s loudest critic on international platforms? If anything, it proves the system is flexible enough to allow a popstar to criticize the government on prime-time TV without buffering.
Nandala Mafabi came with economic fire blaming corruption for everything including potholes, the cost of tomatoes, and probably the price of airtime. Very passionate, very loud, very statistical. Yet one wonders: if all solutions lie in fighting corruption, and corruption started long before this election cycle, who exactly has been supervising Parliament all these years? Asking for a friend.
Mugisha Muntu, calm and presidential, spoke about values, discipline, and integrity. A good man maybe too good for Ugandan politics. He is the type who arrives at a taxi park expecting taxis to follow traffic rules. Admirable, yes. Electable? History has not been kind.
Elton Joseph Mabirizi preached federalism with the commitment of a salesman who owns shares in the map of Uganda. According to him, federalism will fix unemployment, heal corruption, revive agriculture, and maybe even solve heartbreaks. Bold promises for a man polling only among his relatives.
Bulira Frank Kaijuka came to remind Ugandans that his Revolutionary People’s Party exists. Mission accomplished.
Meanwhile, the moderators tried to create a presidential atmosphere, but nothing highlights the elephant in the room like five candidates repeatedly pointing at an empty chair. Each critique of Museveni felt like a subtle confession: “If only he were here, this debate would matter more.”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the real punchline.
In trying so hard to portray him as outdated, the candidates inadvertently proved one thing: Museveni remains the political center of gravity in Uganda. Even in his absence, he dominated the debate, directed the conversation, shaped the emotional tone, and ultimately walked away the biggest winner without uttering a single word.
Now that is political mastery.