Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to Pursue Re-election
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda intends to run for a seventh term in the upcoming elections scheduled for early next year, as confirmed by a senior member of his ruling party.
While it was widely anticipated that Museveni would seek another term, this marks the first official announcement from his National Resistance Movement (NRM).
General elections are set to take place in January 2026, during which citizens will vote for both the president and members of parliament.
At 80 years old, Museveni has been in power since 1986, making him the fourth longest-serving leader in Africa. He follows Teodoro Obiang from Equatorial Guinea (46 years), Paul Biya from Cameroon (43 years), and Denis Sassou-Nguesso from the Republic of Congo (41 years).
During his presidency, the NRM has amended the 1995 constitution twice to facilitate his continued leadership. The first amendment in 2005 eliminated presidential term limits, and a subsequent change in 2017 saw Parliament repeal age restrictions for presidential candidates.
According to Tanga Odoi, chairman of the NRM’s electoral committee, Museveni is expected to officially announce his candidacy for the party’s nomination on Saturday. Odoi stated during a press briefing that the president “will collect expression-of-interest forms for two positions: one for chairperson of the party and another to contest as the presidential flag bearer, should he be given that opportunity.”
Bobi Wine is anticipated to be Museveni’s primary challenger in the 2026 elections. The singer-turned-politician finished second in the 2021 elections but alleged that those results were manipulated.
Wine has already expressed his intention to run again next year.
Museveni has consistently dismissed allegations from human rights organizations and opposition figures regarding his retention of power through favoritism and coercion. He attributes his lengthy tenure to sustained popular support.
