By Okidi Patrick
The paramount chief/Won Ateker Papa Me Kumam, Raphael Otaya, has congratulated H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s longevity in power. Citing that in 1986 when preaident Museveni waa swearing in he said ” this is a foundamental change but not a mere change of guard” therefore, a number of foundamental changes including wealth creation and socio – economic transformation describing NRM government as a “vibrant” leadership style.
The Kumam cultural chief has thrown his weight behind the President’s seventh term, saying that it is a “fundamental change” promised in 1986 which is now visible in the pockets and health of millions of Ugandans.
In a detailed reflection delivered ahead of the upcoming presidential inauguration, to the media recently, Otaya painted a picture of a country that has effectively outgrown its 1980s shadow, transitioning from a basket case to a regional economic player.
At the heart of Otaya’s endorsement is the sheer scale of Uganda’s human capital growth. He noted that the population has surged from a mere 13.6 million in 1986 to a projected 52.8 million in 2026. This growth, he argues, is not a burden but a testament to improved stability.
“Ugandans were living on average between 45 and 46 years in 1986,” Otaya observed. “Today, that figure has climbed to 68 years and above. You cannot ignore such a leap in life expectancy.”
GDP and the “Money Economy”
The Kumam leader further highlighted the expansion of the national cake. Data suggests Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has ballooned from $3.9 billion at the start of the NRM era to an estimated $66.6 billion in 2025.
For Papa Rafhael Otaya, this economic muscle is most visible in the livestock sector—a key livelihood for his subjects. Cattle numbers alone have jumped from 3 million in 1986 to over 14.5 million, alongside significant increases in goat and pig populations, which he credits to the government’s sustained peace and agricultural interventions.
Infrastructure: His Royal Highness Raphael Otaya noted that the NRM inherited a collapsed road network of barely 1,900km of paved roads. Fast forward to 2026, the national grid boasts over 20,000km of paved national roads, complemented by nearly 80,000km of community access roads.
“Water transport had largely collapsed by 1986 befire Museveni came in. Today, we see ministry of works ferries and private cargo vessels bridging the gaps that once isolated our communities,” he added.
Education: From one to many
The education sector also formed a core part of his “scorecard.” Otaya recalled an era when Makerere University stood alone as the sole ivory tower. Today, the landscape has shifted to over 40 public and private universities. Similarly, the jump from 500 secondary schools to over 5,000 marks a radical shift in human resource development.
A “vibrant” Seventh Term
While critics point to the challenges of “life presidency” and democratic fatigue, the Won Ateker insists that Museveni remains a “vibrant leader” whose experience is essential for safeguarding these developmental gains.
By backing a seventh term, Otaya is not just celebrating the past; he is betting on a future where the “qualitative leap” into middle-income status becomes a reality for every household in the Kumam Royal Heritage and beyond.
These and many more are some of the reasons why Won Ateker ‘Papa Me Kumam’ believes president Museveni is still a ‘vibrant’ President hence, hailing NRM’s revolution ahead of president Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony on the 12, May 2026.
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