Museveni reveals Muhoozi inspired iconic hat look

President Yoweri Museveni's signature look is arguably his hat that has become an iconic style associated with the president. 

Speaking recently, Museveni revealed that it was his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s idea that he wear a hat. He explained the proposal was backed by science relating direct sunlight exposure to potential carcinogenic precursors. 

“It was Muhoozi who told me to put on a hat. He said that because I have a bald head, I should wear a hat. According to science, if I don’t have hair, the sun’s rays can directly hit my head and cause cancer,” he said. 

Since Uganda enjoys sunlight throughout the year, and Museveni is active outdoors, Muhoozi’s idea has since become a signature look. 

Some political commentators argue that Museveni leverages on the hat to look to be identified easily on the ballot box. Others claim that the hat has security features including jammers and could be bullet proof. 

The global policy journal claims that Museveni wears a hat because it is associated with farming.

“Museveni wears a hat associated with farming (most Ugandans are farmers), with the old village organisation of the Ugandan society (many Ugandans see the imposition of new sub region/sub county divisions as overly political and without historical legitimacy), with the peasant (most Ugandans are poor), and with rural trading centers (which were slow to warm up to Museveni),” the journal claims.

“For illiterate voters or those who do not follow politics, he runs radio advertisements asking them to simply ‘vote for the old man with a hat’ and gives away T-shirts showing him wearing the hat in areas where he, or his party, has historically been unpopular.”

Wearing of hats is synonymous with bald headed men. This trend is common with fashion savvy celebrities like American popstar Neyo, Pit Bull, among others.