By Gilbert Okwi
When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the NRM assumed leadership in 1986, Uganda was a land gripped by fear. Political expression was dangerous, opposition was life-threatening, and leadership was preserved for a privileged few. Elections were mere rituals—empty of meaning, full of fear.
Today, that story has changed. Every election season, dozens of Ugandans—men and women, young and old, rich and poor—boldly declare their interest to contest for the highest office in the land: the Presidency. Some come with formidable political machinery, others with nothing but a dream. Yet what matters is not their weight, but their freedom to dream, to speak, and to aspire.
This freedom is no accident. It is the fruit of the NRM’s deliberate leadership.
NRM Opened the Democratic Space
By restoring multi-party politics, guaranteeing freedom of speech, protecting freedom of association, and building a functioning electoral system, the NRM tore down the walls of fear. The gun was silenced and replaced with the ballot. Today, ideas compete—not bullets.
The fact that so many Ugandans line up to contest for the presidency is not chaos—it is confidence. It shows trust in the system, and it demonstrates that every citizen, regardless of background, believes they stand a fair chance to lead. That is democracy in its truest form.
From Silence to Voices
We must never forget: in the 1970s and early 80s, even whispering against the regime was deadly. Today, presidential debates are held openly, rallies are organized freely, and citizens raise their voices without fear. That is the liberal democratic space the NRM created and safeguarded.
The Future is Brighter
Uganda now offers hope to the youth who aspire to lead without intimidation, to opposition that can challenge government without silencing, and to citizens who exercise their right to choose in every election. This is a gift of democracy that must be jealously guarded.
The many presidential aspirants we see today are not a sign of weakness—they are a sign of strength. They are proof that Uganda has transformed from a nation of silence into a nation of voices.
And all this is possible because of the NRM’s enduring commitment to peace, stability, and democratic governance.
The writer is the Deputy RDC, Abim District.
