After Ukraine, Uganda hopeful to have an unconventional president

After Ukraine got its comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelensky, world politics is set to experience the rise of another presidential candidate from unconventional grounds in Uganda.

Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine on May 20. Prior to becoming a president, he was well known in the country as a comedian – with a production company that produces films, cartoons, and TV comedy shows.

His appointment as president, and with a previous career in television and media, was hailed as a political earthquake. Zelensky, however, has so far failed to appoint the ministers he wants or to turn his electoral promises into legislations.

Walking the same roads as Zelenksy is the 37-year-old Ugandan pop star and opposition MP Robert Kyagulanyi, who is better known by his stage name Bobi Wine.

His life has been threatened and he's been charged with treason, but a Ugandan pop-star-turned-politician is on a mission to do what no one else has managed for more than 30 years - overthrow the reigns of current Uganda president Yoweri Museveni, after he officially announced to run for the presidency in the 2021 election.

"On behalf of the people of Uganda I am challenging you [Museveni] to a free and fair election in 2021," Wine said at an event in the capital, Kampala, to announce his candidacy.

The singer addresses himself as the "ghetto president", and is a fierce critic of Museveni, reports BBC.

He was charged with treason in 2018 over the alleged stoning of the presidential convoy but has denied the charges and was later freed on bail.

His loose movement of supporters from across the political divide is proving to be a conundrum to Museveni, who's had little trouble in the past routing traditional opposition parties.

"We know that people power is stronger than the people in power," Wine said in an interview at his home in the capital, Kampala.

"We are not into this for formality. We are into this to change our country," he added.

Opposition Crackdown

Seated in a brown armchair with the words "People Power" emblazoned on the headrest, Kyagulanyi is straight-faced when asked why he thinks he can unseat Museveni, whom he compares to former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and ex-Libyan leader Moammar Al Qaddafi.

"President Idi Amin declared himself life president, he did not die president," he said. "Qaddafi was seemingly invincible. He did not die a president."

As Uganda's 2021 general election approaches, there are signs that Museveni may be preparing to intensify a clampdown on his opponents.

The government raised its security budget 75% this year to almost $1 billion, to be spent on equipment and training.

Is the president worried?

Museveni has dismissed his opponent as a club singer, but about 18 months before the election the president is already on a tour of the country, handing out cheques to different interest groups as part of what he calls Operation Wealth Creation.

But the self-declared "ghetto president" has some tough questions to answer. He has not yet put forward a clear plan on how to deal with the serious problems many Ugandans face, including unemployment, poor healthcare, and education.

He argues he is a leader and there are plenty of skilled Ugandans who can handle technical issues.