Kampala — Esteri Mugurwa Akandwanaho, daughter of presidential adviser Gen. Salim Saleh, has defended the prominence of President Yoweri Museveni’s family in government, pushing back against claims that the administration is effectively a “family affair.” In a weekend column, Mugurwa argued that such critiques are selective and often ignore Uganda’s constitutional safeguards and institutional framework.
Mugurwa highlighted the roles of First Son Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, First Lady Janet Museveni, and son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo, noting that while they hold key positions Muhoozi heads the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Janet leads the Ministry of Education and Sports, and Rwabwogo chairs the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial DevelopmentUganda’s institutions remain intact.
“Political families exist everywhere,” she wrote, pointing to the Trudeaus in Canada, the Gandhis in India, the Kennedys and Bushes in the United States, the Marcos-Duterte family in the Philippines, and Indonesia’s Widodo dynasty. “Uganda is far from unique in this regard. The real question is not how many relatives enter politics, but whether institutions are strong enough to check their power.”
Critics, however, continue to warn that the prominence of Museveni’s family undermines Uganda’s democratic institutions. Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda argued that the concentration of authority among relatives weakens checks and balances, while National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, has previously described the presidency as a “family enterprise” with inherited leadership replacing earned merit.
Mugurwa countered that governance challenges in Uganda are less about family ties and more about inconsistent performance by Parliament, the Judiciary, and oversight bodies. She criticized a “big man syndrome” in which citizens expect the presidency alone to bear responsibility for governance failures, noting that unimplemented oversight reports not only hinder accountability but also erode investor confidence and public trust.
She further accused sections of the international media and donor community of amplifying sensational narratives around Uganda’s 2021 elections, framing them as attempts at foreign interference. “Uganda’s sovereignty is delegated by its people, not foreign capitals, donor microphones, or international lobbyists,” she said, emphasizing that accountability should be determined by Ugandans themselves.
Urging a shift in focus, Mugurwa called on citizens to prioritize merit and integrity in public service rather than fixating on family names. “Criticism of family appointments should be directed not at kinship itself, but at the institutions tasked with vetting and monitoring appointees,” she wrote.
She concluded that Uganda’s democratic future depends on strengthening institutions, encouraging active citizen participation, and rejecting politics driven by “innuendo and hyperbole.” “The measure of leadership must be competence and accountability, not merely one’s surname,” she said.