Museveni: no longer anyone's darling

An article at the anti-Bush website Salon.com wonders about the future relations between the Bush administration and Ugandan strongman Yoweri Museveni. Museveni was once hailed as a leader of the 'African renaissance' but his star is fading. He's increasing acting like an ordinary, old-fashioned Big Man by setting himself up to be president-for-life, by invading the DR Congo allegedly to pillage its natural resources. by allegedly trafficking arms into the DRC, by banning all political parties when he took power.

He's certainly an improvement over the two other men who mis-ruled Uganda for any period of time: the infamous Idi Amin and the equally maniacal but less bufoonish Milton Obote. But Museveni's regime has clearly reached the point of diminishing returns. Attempts to make him president-for-life will ruin any hope of Uganda maintaining its fragile stability.

The west hyped Museveni partly because he was a significant improvement on his predecessors but mainly because they wanted an African success story.

"It was not so much what was happening in Uganda, but what the international aid community wanted to project to the world, wanted to project to their key constituencies in the Western world who contribute this money," said Andrew Mwenda, a Ugandan journalist.

Museveni was charismatic. He spoke the language that western politicians and bankers wanted to hear. He threw in just enough 'We're doing political things the Ugandan way' to neutralize guilt-suspectible western liberals.

Liberals like the fact that Museveni was really the first African leader to address the HIV-AIDS issue head on and his efforts helped make a significant dent HIV infection rates in his country. Conservatives like that Museveni's position on the issue has morphed into one of anti-condoms and abstinence only. Liberals appreciated Museveni's support of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, whose invasion stopped the Rwandan genocide. Conservatives like that Museveni backed President Bush on the Iraq aggression. Museveni seduced both the Clinton and Bush administrations.

But these things can no longer hide the fact that Museveni has devolved into the stereotypical African strongman. Something which is perhaps inevitable for any military man who retains power for more htan a few years.

Merely being less bad than Idi Amin isn't good enough if you claim to care about 'liberty and freedom.' It isn't good enough if you care about democracy and human rights. And merely washing your hands of a man like Museveni who's spread havoc well beyond his own borders isn't good enough if you want 'African solutions to African problems.'

Yoweri Museveni has proven to be a threat not only to his own country's security but to regional stability. He is no longer anyone's darling.