By Isaac Christopher Lubogo
Because in Uganda—and indeed much of post-colonial Africa—politics is not just a career; it is an identity, a sanctuary, a fortress, and a lifeline.
To retire is to surrender relevance. And relevance, in our political landscape, is survival.
For many veteran politicians, age does not weaken the hunger for office—it intensifies it. Not always out of greed or ambition, but often out of existential fear.
The fear of being discarded. Of being forgotten. Of being held accountable. Of losing immunity. Of losing the microphone.
You see, our political system was never truly built to allow honourable exit. Power here is not institutional—it is personal.
There are no safety nets for graceful retirement. No dignified lanes for elder statesmanship. So the elderly cling to power not merely because they want to rule, but because they fear the void.
Also, in a society where patronage is the air that politics breathes, old politicians know too much, owe too many, and are owed by even more. Power, therefore, becomes not just a desire—but a debt to manage.
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Moreover, we have romanticized political longevity as a badge of wisdom, rather than a sign of institutional decay.
We call them “fathers of the nation” instead of asking why the nation never graduated beyond its father.
In truth, we don’t just have aged politicians; we have a culture that worships continuity over competence, ritual over renewal.
The aged remain because the system, like a closed loop, keeps recycling the past in the name of loyalty, not legacy.
So the real question isn’t why they still run.
The real question is: Why haven’t we built a system strong enough to outlive the personalities who shaped it?
Until we answer that, the aged will continue to stand—not merely because they can, but because we have left them no structured, secure, and respected way to sit down.
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