KAMPALA- Uganda’s President 80 year old Yoweri Museveni, who has led the East African nation since 1986, will seek re-election in the general elections scheduled for January 2026, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has confirmed. The announcement, made via a statement on the NRM’s website and reinforced by a senior party official, marks the first official confirmation of Museveni’s intent to extend his nearly four-decade presidency, making him Africa’s fourth longest-serving leader.
Tanga Odoi, chairperson of the NRM’s electoral commission, announced in a video posted on Monday by state broadcaster UBC on the social media platform X that Museveni, 80, will collect expression-of-interest forms on June 28. These forms will confirm his candidacy for two roles: NRM party chairman and the party’s presidential flag bearer for the 2026 polls. “The president … will pick [up] expression-of-interest forms for two positions, one for chairperson of the party and the other to contest if he is given chance for presidential flag bearer,” Odoi told AFP.
The 2026 general election will see Ugandans vote for both the presidency and parliamentary lawmakers. The NRM, alongside other political parties, is currently vetting and clearing candidates for the upcoming polls. Museveni’s decision to run again follows constitutional amendments in 2005 and 2017, which removed presidential term limits and the age cap of 75, respectively, allowing him to remain in power.
Museveni, a former rebel leader once celebrated for his governance reforms, has faced growing criticism for suppressing dissent. Rights activists and critics accuse him of using patronage networks and security forces to maintain control, allegations he denies, attributing his long tenure to popular support. The lead-up to the 2026 election has seen an intensified crackdown on opposition figures, with reports of intimidation, abductions, and detentions.
A prominent challenger, musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has confirmed his intention to run against Museveni in 2026. Wine, who came second in the 2021 presidential election, rejected those results, citing widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing and violence by security forces. He has faced repeated arrests, and Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has publicly threatened him, including with violent remarks on social media.
Another key opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and now faces treason charges in Uganda, which carry the death penalty. The charges have drawn international condemnation, with Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, asserting that he is being targeted for political reasons. “He is being criminalised because he has challenged, he has put himself forward as a candidate in elections,” she said.
The 2021 elections were marred by violence and allegations of electoral fraud, raising concerns about the fairness of the upcoming vote. International rights groups have called for transparency and an end to the persecution of opposition leaders as Uganda prepares for another pivotal election.
