Yoweri Museveni came into power in 1986 as the head of a national guerilla movement. Hugely popular in Uganda and among foreign donors, Museveni was elected in 1996 in the country’s first democratic elections in 17 years and was reelected to a second term in 2001.

Although initially promising to step down after his second term, Museveni amended the constitution to allow him to run in 2006 and imprisoned his main rival, provoking widespread criticism from those who had once sung his praises.