Political families exist everywhere,” she wrote, pointing to the Trudeaus in Canada, the Gandhis in India, the Kennedys and Bushes in the United States, the Marcos-Duterte family in the Philippines, and Indonesia’s Widodo dynasty
Esteri Mugurwa Akandwanaho, daughter of presidential adviser Gen. Salim Saleh, has pushed back against recurring claims that President Yoweri Museveni’s government is a “family affair,” arguing that the debate is selective and ignores Uganda’s constitutional safeguards.
Writing in a weekend column, Mugurwa said international and local critics routinely highlight the roles of First Son Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, First Lady Janet Museveni, and son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo while neglecting the wider institutional framework. Muhoozi heads the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Janet leads the Ministry of Education and Sports, and Rwabwogo chairs the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development.
“Political families exist everywhere,” she wrote, pointing to the Trudeaus in Canada, the Gandhis in India, the Kennedys and Bushes in the United States, the Marcos-Duterte family in the Philippines, and Indonesia’s Widodo dynasty.
“Uganda is far from unique in this regard. The real question is not how many relatives enter politics, but whether institutions are strong enough to check their power.”
However, the prominence of Museveni’s family in government has long been criticised by analysts and opposition politicians, who argue it undermines Uganda’s democratic institutions.
Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, a vocal government critic, recently argued: “What we are witnessing is not just family rule but the erosion of state institutions. The army, cabinet, and key agencies are increasingly controlled by relatives, which weakens checks and balances and undermines confidence in the system.”
During the 2021 campaign season, Kyagulanyi declared: “The presidency has been personalised, and national institutions have been captured by the first family. This is not democracy — it is family rule where leadership is inherited rather than earned.”
Mugurwa, in contrast, argued that Uganda’s governance challenge stems less from kinship ties and more from inconsistent performance by Parliament, the Judiciary, and oversight bodies.
“Oversight reports that gather dust are not only a governance problem, but also an economic cost, eroding investor confidence and public trust,” she noted.
Selective
She also accused sections of the international media and donor community of amplifying sensational narratives around Uganda’s 2021 elections, framing them as attempts at foreign interference.
“Uganda’s sovereignty is delegated by its people, not foreign capitals, donor microphones, or international lobbyists,” Mugurwa said, stressing that accountability should be judged by citizens themselves.
Calling for a shift in focus, she urged Ugandans to demand merit and integrity from public officials instead of fixating on family names. “Criticism of family appointments should be directed not at kinship itself, but at the institutions tasked with vetting and monitoring appointees,” she wrote.
Mugurwa concluded that Uganda’s democratic future depends on strengthening institutions, active citizen participation, and rejecting what she described as politics “driven by innuendo and hyperbole.”
“The measure of leadership must be competence and accountability,” she wrote, “not merely one’s surname.”
