Winnie Byanyima queries Museveni age

The debate surrounding President Yoweri Museveni’s precise age has been reignited, just weeks after he formally celebrated his 81st birthday at a national event held at the Kololo Grounds in Kampala. 

The latest challenge to the official narrative comes from Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and a prominent civil rights figure, who took to the social media platform X late last night.

In her post, Byanyima, a former lover and comrade of the President, referenced Museveni’s own autobiography, “Sowing the Mustard Seed”. 

She noted that the President had stated in the book that he did not know his exact date of birth. 

Byanyima suggested, however, the Museveni ought to be a few years older than his publicly acknowledged age, judging from his former classmates. 

“My cousin who was his classmate would be 84 today,” she wrote, suggesting Museveni could be about the same age. 

Mrs Byanyima was responding to a published chart ranking the world’s oldest current political leaders. 

The chart listed 91 year old Paul Biya of Cameroon as the world’s oldest head of state, who has been in power for 50 years. 

It also listed Irish President Michael D. Higgins at 85.1 years old, whom Byanyima believes could be Museveni's agemate. 

“I think that on the chart below, our president ties with Ireland’s President Micheal Higgins, a respected poet and social justice champion.”

Byanyima’s comments add weight to the long-running public speculation over the President’s age, a crucial factor in the context of his prolonged tenure in office. 

President Museveni is in the presidential race seeking to extend his tenure to 45 years.