President Omar Bongo of Gabon died on June 8, 2009. At the time of his passing, he was the longest serving leader of an African country at 42 years. His death has led to a lot of reflecting in the international media on the leaders in Africa that have held life long terms. The top ten list includes Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni at number seven with 23 years in power. The entire list is as follows:

1. President Muammar Gaddafi of Libya   39 Years
2. Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equitorial Guinea    30 Years
3. Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola   30 Years
4. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe   29 Years
5. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt   27 Years
6. President Paul Biya of Cameroon   26 Years
7. President Yoweri Museveni    23 Years
8. King Mswati III of Swaziland    23 Years
9. President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso  21 Years
10. President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia  21 Years

A source in the Uganda Media Centre, has told this reporter that one of the best known Baganda clan leaders is the main author of Namwatulira, a pro-Museveni propaganda column in a government owned newspaper. The same clan leader is reported to have been on Museveni’s payroll, on and off, for many years. The Namwatulira column is specifically designed to send subconscious level messages to Baganda to always be moderate and patient when dealing with Mr. Museveni. From time to time it pretends to speak against government decisions on Buganda while also consistently painting Mmengo as unreasonable. Indeed, over the past several months it has been softly promoting negotiations and reconciliation between President Museveni and Kabaka Mutebi.

According to the source, “This elder has a long history in the journalism field. The problem is that he is permanently faced with major financial problems due his show-off lifestyle. President Museveni noted these weaknesses in the early 1990s and recruited the gentleman elder to spy on Mmengo and Banda and to quietly push for government’s position on things like Butikiro and Regional Tier. His busiest and most profitable time was when Muliika was the Katikkiro. Because he is much discredited among ordinary Baganda, especially since Katikkiro Ssemwogerere left, writing Namwatulira is now his primary way to earn his state house income, via the government paper.”