I feel I should probably start with an apology. A few days after the 2024 general election, I wrote that it felt as if the grownups were back in charge. It wasn't as if I was carried away by the vision of Keir Starmer or the charisma of Rachel Reeves. More that I felt we had regained a basic level of competence. That politics would become business as usual rather than the breathless psychodrama of the past 10 years. You could go to bed at night relatively confident that the country would be more or less recognisable when you woke up.
Economist Dr. Bravious Kahyoza says that in many developing countries, economies often react to how elections are managed, with political tension capable of triggering shocks. "It's therefore crucial for national leaders to handle such moments wisely," he told DW. Tanzania's political and economic climate remains relatively stable, signaling the likelihood of a peaceful election and continued economic steadiness thereafter, according to Kahyoza. "The economy runs on confidence, and currently, that confidence appears solid."
For millions of Ugandans under 40, Yoweri Museveni is the only president they have ever known. And that's unlikely to change soon, as he prepares for yet another campaign after the Ugandan electoral commission confirmed the final list of candidates for the upcoming presidential election next February. Museveni, 81, first came to power in 1986 following an armed rebellion that deposed Milton Obote, and has become one of the world's longest-serving leaders.
Listening to the brilliant and charming CNN presenter John King on RTÉ1's Sunday with Miriam was so enjoyable, it struck me that we're probably in a lot more trouble in this world than we think.
