Uganda’s future is held hostage by its past, and the chains are tightening

Uganda teeters as its disillusioned youth - over 70 percent of the population - grow weary of promises of stability and liberation.

Photo credit: Joseph Nyagah | Nation Media Group

As Uganda hurtles toward its 2026 general elections — a moment that could mark a pivotal transition — a heavy sense of foreboding hangs in the air.

A recent article from the Council on Foreign Relations observes that the ghosts of Uganda’s past are returning. But perhaps it is more accurate to say those ghosts never truly departed. They merely changed clothes and shifted tactics.