Museveni's Advisor Reveals Who Will Take Over As President After He Retires

Remarks by a senior adviser to Uganda’s long serving president have sparked fresh debate and outrage across the country, after he openly suggested that power in Uganda will not change hands through elections.

Yiga Wamala, a Senior Presidential Advisor to President Yoweri Museveni, is reported to have told supporters that Ugandans should abandon the idea of removing Museveni from office through the ballot. According to Wamala, elections are not the path through which leadership will change in the country.

“Never think that President Museveni will leave power by voting. Don’t waste our time, no, no, no. He is going to be the President,” Wamala reportedly said.

In the same remarks, the presidential adviser went a step further to outline what he described as the future leadership of Uganda. He claimed that once Museveni eventually retires, power will pass to Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the president’s son and a senior military officer.

“After Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba is coming,” he added.

The comments have ignited intense reactions among Ugandans, opposition leaders, and civil society groups, many of whom view the statement as a blunt admission of dynastic succession and a dismissal of democratic processes. Critics argue that such remarks undermine the credibility of elections and confirm long held fears that Uganda is being groomed for a hereditary transfer of power rather than a constitutional transition.

President Museveni has been in power since 1986, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. Over the years, constitutional amendments have removed presidential age limits and term limits, moves that have allowed him to remain in office and contest successive elections.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, often at the center of succession debates, has previously fueled speculation through public statements, social media activity, and his rapid rise within the military. Although both Museveni and Muhoozi have at times denied a formal succession plan, remarks like those made by Wamala continue to strengthen perceptions that a transition is already being scripted behind the scenes.

For many Ugandans, the adviser’s comments are seen not just as controversial, but as revealing, laying bare what opposition figures have long accused the regime of planning: the consolidation of power within one family.

As Uganda grapples with political tension, economic pressures, and questions around governance, Wamala’s statement has once again brought the issue of democracy, legitimacy, and the future of leadership in the country into sharp national and international focus.

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