By Our Reporter
Yoweri Museveni, who has been Uganda’s president since 1986, once worked under Milton Obote’s government. His time in Obote’s regime gave him important experience that later helped him take power and rule Uganda for decades.
After Idi Amin was removed from power in 1979, Uganda went through a period of political transition.
Different groups struggled for control, and a new government was formed. During this time, Museveni was given a job as Minister of Defence. This was his first major government position, and it put him in charge of Uganda’s security forces.
As Minister of Defence, Museveni saw how difficult it was to keep Uganda stable. The army was undisciplined, and there was a lot of political fighting. He learned that without a strong and loyal military, a leader could easily lose power. This lesson shaped his future strategies.
In 1980, Uganda held elections, and Obote was declared the winner. But Museveni and others believed the elections were rigged. Using the knowledge he gained from working in government, he decided to start a rebellion. He formed a guerrilla army, the National Resistance Army (NRA), and launched a war against Obote’s government.
Museveni’s time as Minister of Defence gave him the experience he needed to build his own army and fight for power. He saw the weaknesses in Uganda’s government and military, and he used that knowledge to overthrow Obote in 1986. This job played a key role in preparing him to become Uganda’s president.
