Bobi Wine Represents Widespread Youth Disillusionment With Aging Authoritarians in Africa

Writing for the Financial Times, David Pilling reminds us of what we saw throughout Africa in 2018 – widespread youth disillusionment with their grizzled, disconnected and increasingly authoritarian leaders. In the New Year, the Ugandan theater will surely continue to stage one of the more noteworthy manifestations of this trend as an demonstrably despotic septuagenarian, President Yoweri Museveni, continues his efforts to “neutralise” the young and inspired musician-turned-parliamentarian Bobi Wine.

Bobi Wine: It took Ugandan rapper, parliamentarian and “Ghetto President” Bobi Wine to challenge the authority of Yoweri Museveni, one of a shrinking number of African autocrats clinging to power long past their sell-by date. Mr Wine has struck a nerve. Authorities beat him to within an inch of his life. A Boxing Day performance has been stopped. He could yet challenge Mr Museveni for the presidency in 2021. More important, he represents a stirring of youth across a continent whose average age is 19.

Read the full article from the Financial Times here.