Museveni, Yoweri, << moo suh VAY nee, yuh WEHR ee >> (1944-…), became president of Uganda in 1986. As president, he helped bring peace after years of unrest. He also oversaw rapid economic growth. However, critics accused Museveni of silencing dissent and failing to address widespread corruption.
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was born on Aug. 15, 1944, in the Ankole region of Uganda. He belongs to the Bahima ethnic group. Museveni earned a degree in political science and economics at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
After graduation, Museveni worked for President Milton Obote of Uganda. In 1971, Obote was overthrown by Idi Amin Dada. Museveni then established an opposition group called the Front for National Salvation. In 1979, the Front and other groups overthrew Amin. Museveni became minister of defense.
After Museveni was defeated in parliamentary elections in 1980, he established the National Resistance Movement (NRM). In 1986, the NRM overthrew the government, and Museveni became president. Uganda began a relatively stable and prosperous era, though some fighting continued in the north.
In 1996, Museveni won Uganda’s first presidential elections in 16 years. At first, the international community welcomed him. He established elements of democracy and undertook economic reforms. But from 1998 to 2003, Museveni assisted rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Many world leaders supported the DRC’s president and thus opposed Museveni. Museveni was reelected to the presidency in 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016.
