YOWERI Museveni lives in a palace in Entebbe, on the banks of Lake Victoria, far away from the noise and chaos of the capital Kampala. Armed soldiers guard the entrance. Museveni seems relaxed as he welcomes the journalists from DER SPIEGEL for an interview.
He has been mired in crisis since he barely won the election in January against his challenger, the pop star Bobi Wine. But if he is nervous at all, he doesn’t show it.
Museveni has Uganda’s leader for three-and-a-half decades and has increasingly shown autocratic tendencies during this time. The elections in January were overshadowed by violence and accusations of fraud.
DER SPIEGEL: Mr. President, you were considered a freedom fighter and reformer when you took office 35 years ago. Today, many Ugandans see you as an autocrat. How did this come about?
Museveni: I haven’t just been in politics for 35 years, but for 60
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