The art of ‘overstaying’: What Arsenal’s Wenger’s exit can teach Museveni

What you need to know:

  • For Museveni, who has now been in power six years beyond the drop-dead cut off point, this suggests he should do the following things: If he wants to get an emotional send off like Wenger’s, a momentary forgiveness of his political sins – or even to induce amnesia in the country – he must put the sticks (or in his case guns) away.
  • He needs to reduce the open crude acts of repression.

For the last three years, Arsenal Football Club manager Arsine Wenger has been a much vilified man, as his once seemingly unbeatable team endured defeat and humiliation upon humiliation.
It was common for African fans to compare him to President Museveni, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, and other presidents for life in Africa, who had once done well for their countries, but had overstayed and had turned poisonous.

Then late last month, Wenger announced he was leaving at the end of the season after 22 years in charge, and all of a sudden, you couldn’t find a single critic. There have been tears, accolades, and emotional farewells.
On Twitter, someone asked if powerful men, like Museveni, with whom Wenger had been compared, would now also leave. And that raises the question of what can Wenger teach Africa’s “eternal” leaders like our own?

To begin with, Wenger’s story tells us that while being a leader for 22 years is long, it is not too long. Wenger’s most intense rival, Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson, was boss at the club for longer – nearly 27 years. The difference is that Ferguson was still winning in his last years.

So while a Big Man staying in power for more than 20 years is long, it does not automatically result in agitation and demands for him to leave. The length of his reign becomes more problematic if he’s losing.
If Museveni was presiding over an economy that was still posting 12 per cent growth as it did in the early years of his presidency, where corruption and nepotism were less rampant, and his regime was not brutalising the Opposition, the noise level about his overstay would be there, but mild.

So when it comes to being coach or president for life, it seems the right expiry date is Ferguson’s 26 years, with some decent results. At 22 years, Wenger was still relatively “young” in the job as these things come and go – if only he had delivered more consolation trophies along the way.

So why has there been so much emotion, over a Wenger whom frustrated fans until a few days wanted to burn at the stakes? It is because Wenger understood a lesson that some wise men who gamble or are profligate have mastered – whatever you do, don’t lose the family house or the children’s school fees.

Many people consider excessive gambling to be a vice. A sin. The workings of the devil. Men have lost great fortunes at the tables of chance. However, some of their families have been known to forgive their addiction and frailty even if they gambled their cars away in bets – as long as they didn’t bet the family home, didn’t raid the account where the children’s school fees are banked, and still put food on the table. In short, don’t lose the family silver.
Wenger understood that he would still have enough support, especially with the shareholders, as long as he didn’t lose the club money, and bills were paid. And he was a damn good steward at that. He was a good provider, who kept everyone’s stomach at Arsenal full, even though not with trophies.

In more earthly terms, you can call it the “pineapple eating” strategy. Because the bottom fat part of the pineapple is juicier and sweeter, it is what you eat last – and it is the part you shouldn’t lose.
So, for presidents for life, that is the Wenger lesson – staying long in office is an art. There is a right and wrong way to do it.

Therefore, for Museveni, who has now been in power six years beyond the drop-dead cut off point, this suggests he should do the following things: If he wants to get an emotional send off like Wenger’s, a momentary forgiveness of his political sins – or even to induce amnesia in the country – he must put the sticks (or in his case guns) away. He needs to reduce the open crude acts of repression.

Secondly, and most importantly, he needs to return the country to at least 7 per cent economic growth rates. These miserly 3 per cent rates (and even lower) will just not do.
And, finally, he needs to protect the juicy base of the pineapple like Wenger did. Right now, his cronies, the corrupt, and overall incompetence are squirreling away the sweet fat part of the pineapple, and Ugandans are being fed the smaller bitter top bit.

While Wenger had a trophy drought in recent years, perhaps he won the ultimate one in the gift by former enemy Sir Alex Ferguson and the embrace by arch Jose Mourinho ahead of Frenchman’s last game at Old Trafford on April 29.
I doubt Kizza Besigye will be giving Museveni precious gifts at his exit.

Mr Onyango-Obbo is the publisher of Africa data visualiser Africapedia.com and explainer site Roguechiefs.com. Twitter@cobbo3