KAMPALA, Uganda – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has formally declared his intention to run for a seventh term in the country’s upcoming general elections, scheduled for January 2026, cementing his status as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
The 80-year-old leader received unanimous endorsement from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, which confirmed that Museveni will collect his nomination forms starting June 28.
The announcement sets the stage for a likely rematch with opposition figure and former pop star Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Museveni, who first seized power in 1986 after a protracted guerrilla war, has since overseen significant changes to Uganda’s political and constitutional landscape. Presidential term and age limits were abolished under his rule, clearing the way for indefinite reelection bids.
His administration has long claimed stability and economic development as its core achievements, though critics cite growing authoritarianism, human rights violations, and a shrinking space for political dissent.
“This endorsement is not just a formality—it is a reaffirmation of the people’s confidence in the revolution that brought peace, unity, and progress,” said NRM Secretary-General Richard Todwong, speaking at the party’s headquarters in Kampala.
Opposition parties, civil society groups, and international observers have raised concerns about the fairness of past elections, citing crackdowns on protests, intimidation of candidates, and restrictive laws targeting the media and civic activists.
Bobi Wine, 43, who challenged Museveni in the controversial 2021 election, has signaled he will contest again despite repeated arrests, surveillance, and alleged harassment by security forces.
“Museveni may control the system, but he does not control the people’s yearning for change,” Wine said in a statement following the NRM endorsement.
“The fight for freedom continues.”
Museveni’s renewed bid is expected to dominate political discourse in the coming months, with analysts forecasting a highly polarized campaign season amid worsening economic pressures, a rising cost of living, and growing discontent among Uganda’s youth—most of whom have known no other leader.
Uganda’s Electoral Commission has yet to publish the full calendar for the 2026 vote, but pre-campaign mobilization has already begun across both rural and urban constituencies.
For now, Museveni’s candidacy signals continuity at the top—but also uncertainty about what that means for Uganda’s democratic future.
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