The jubilation within Uganda’s opposition ranks, particularly the National Unity Platform (NUP), following USAID’s temporary suspension of foreign aid, seems ironically misdirected.
While scrutiny of foreign aid is warranted, celebrating this pause reveals a profound misunderstanding of the political landscape and a worrying distraction from the critical task of challenging President Museveni in the upcoming 2026 elections
The Trump administration’s accusations against USAID—wastefulness, money laundering, and covert operations—warrant consideration. However, the more significant consequence for Uganda lies in the disruption of electoral support mechanisms. USAID has been instrumental in supporting international electoral observers, a crucial component for ensuring free and fair elections.
The opposition’s historical struggle to deploy adequate polling agents and observers across the country’s 34,684 polling stations underscores the importance of this external support.
Since Uganda’s transition to a multi-party system in 2005, USAID has actively fostered party representation, citizen participation, policy research, and platform development. Furthermore, the agency has invested in innovative technologies to bolster election transparency and fairness.
Instead of capitalizing on these vital resources and addressing their own shortcomings, the Ugandan opposition fixates on demanding accountability for a relatively small sum of $4 million allegedly allocated to LGBTQ advocacy. While transparency is essential, this obsession distracts from the larger picture: the potential loss of over $100 million in “Democracy Funds” that support opposition parties and promote electoral integrity.
As President Museveni traverses the nation promoting wealth creation, NUP’s focus on birthday celebrations and Dr. Kizza Besigye’s legal battles paint a picture of disarray and disunity. Such diversions pave the way for Museveni’s victory in 2026, not because of his strength, but because of the opposition’s strategic blunders.
The Ugandan opposition must refocus. A relentless pursuit of accountability, a unified front, and a clear strategy for engaging with the electorate are paramount. Only then can they hope to mount a credible challenge to Museveni’s continued rule.
