Paper Short Abstract:

Drawing on historical-ethnographic research, this paper examines the shifting focus of the Museveni regime's legitimisation narrative from an emphasis on liberation to an emphasis on care, and analyses the underlying affective dynamics in the context of current generational conflict in Uganda.

Paper Abstract:

This paper examines the shifting focus of the central legitimization narrative of the Museveni regime from an emphasis on liberation to a foregrounding of care. This changed focus, I argue, is closely linked to demographic developments and generational conflicts that are currently brewing in Uganda. Since taking power, Museveni and his movement/party NRM have relied heavily on a particular account of Uganda's recent history to justify their rule. At the center of this narrative lies their seizure of power in 1986, which is presented as a heroic act of liberation and a pivotal moment in Uganda's postcolonial history. The narrative is thus primarily aimed at a population that experienced and remembers the brutal dictatorships of Museveni's predecessors Obote and Amin. However, with an average age of 16, most Ugandans living today were born after 1986. For these generations, this story lacks an affective connection to their own lives and therefore does not resonate with them. Coupled with the increasing frustration of young Ugandans over their general marginalization, this poses a serious threat to the country's rulers. I argue that the waning power of the liberation narrative has forced the Museveni regime to recalibrate it, shifting the story’s focus away from victorious struggle and more towards the regime's supposedly unique and enduring responsibility to care for the wellbeing of Uganda(ns). Drawing on extensive historical-ethnographic fieldwork, I analyze the details and affective dynamics of this narrative shift and explore how it is received by the Ugandan public, particularly young people.