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President Yoweri Museveni is set to formally announce his candidacy for a seventh term in Uganda’s upcoming general elections scheduled for January 2026.
Today, Saturday, June 28, the 80-year-old will pick nomination forms for both the National Resistance Movement (NRM) national chairperson and party presidential flag bearer positions.
If victorious, Museveni will extend his grip on power to 45 years, putting him in the top 5 longest-serving presidents in the world at the end of the 2026-31 term.
Speaking at a Thanksgiving event for the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Anita Among, Museveni thanked Ugandans for endorsing him.
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"I want to thank the people of Teso and all the people of Uganda for supporting the NRM and for proposing my name to be chairperson of the NRM for another 5 years, and also to be the party’s presidential flag bearer," Museveni stated.
"Tomorrow I shall go to pick up the forms for the two positions. I thank you very much."
Having assumed power on January 29, 1986, after leading a successful five-year liberation struggle, Museveni has been at Uganda's helm for 39 years.
His longevity has been facilitated by two constitutional amendments by the ruling NRM party: one in 2005 that removed presidential term limits, and another in 2017 that abolished the age eligibility requirements for the presidency.
President Yoweri Museveni and his wife Janet
Key Pillars of the 2026–31 Manifesto
Looking ahead to the 2026-31 term, President Museveni outlined a comprehensive manifesto anchored on several key pillars designed to further transform Uganda.
Peace: Noting the government's commitment to maintaining peace across Uganda, Museveni acknowledged existing challenges like property theft and proposed the establishment of police stations at every sub-county, equipped with bicycles and dogs, to enhance security.
Infrastructure: The plan includes the construction of more roads nationwide. However, Museveni spoke of the importance of utilising this infrastructure to combat household poverty. “Infrastructure is for all of us, but personal wealth is yours alone, and so is poverty. The poverty you left at home in the morning, you will find it when you go back,” he said.
Jobs: The President clarified that the government's role in job creation is limited, even in developed nations. Instead, he said, the focus will be on empowering the private sector, which he sees as the primary engine for generating employment opportunities. He noted that commercial agriculture has already created 3.6 million jobs, while factories have contributed 1.2 million, which are outweighing the 400,000 jobs provided directly by the government.
Services: The manifesto aims to improve the efficiency of services like education and health, ensuring that those meant to be free are genuinely accessible to all.
Markets: Recognising the need for markets to sell produced goods, the plan includes strategies to access regional markets, particularly within East Africa and the broader African continent.
President Yoweri Museveni
Anticipated Challenges and Opposition
The upcoming election is expected to be competitive, with opposition leader Bobi Wine, a former pop star-turned-politician, announcing his intention to run again.
In the 2021 election, Bobi Wine claimed the results were fraudulent, citing ballot stuffing and intimidation by security forces. He has since rejected the results and is preparing for a rematch in 2026.