At 82, Museveni envisions living to 100 to promote African unity

The head of state, who celebrated his 82nd birthday on September 15, claims to have received congratulations from around eight million people. He hopes to reach 100 years, while his wife, Janet Museveni, would turn 96, presenting the 18 years leading up to that milestone as a timeframe to continue promoting his pan-African ideals.

His primary focus is on the continental market. Museveni believes that deeper economic integration would provide African producers with broader opportunities than their national markets alone. He directly links this goal to wealth creation and the ability of African businesses to scale up.

The Ugandan president then places security at the heart of his reasoning. He calls for greater political integration where possible, citing the East African Federation as an example. He associates this approach with what he describes as a strategic necessity to protect the continent against external threats.

Museveni introduces a third dimension, encapsulated in the concept of “undugu,” or brotherhood. He advocates for closer ties among Africa’s major linguistic families and mentions a continental population of approximately 1.5 billion people. He believes this idea complements the common market and political integration.

In power since 1986, Yoweri Museveni began a new five-year term in May 2026. His reference to the next 18 years is not an announcement of his intention to remain in office until he is 100; rather, he speaks of the lifespan he hopes to have and the goals he wishes to continue advocating beyond his current term.