Uganda’s President Museveni to Seek Re-election at 80, Aims to Extend 40-Year Rule

 

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, aged 80, has officially been declared the ruling National Resistance Movement's (NRM) presidential candidate for the 2026 election, positioning him to extend his nearly four-decade rule. Museveni, who first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986, has won every presidential election since and oversaw constitutional changes to remove age and term limits that could have ended his presidency. During his acceptance speech at the NRM conference, Museveni said he was responding to a national call to continue leading Uganda. He emphasized his ambition to transform Uganda into a high middle income country, citing his government's achievements in stability and economic progress. He urged the nation not to miss a historic opportunity for development, likening Uganda's moment to the industrial rise of Europe and Asia. Museveni's long reign has drawn criticism from opponents and rights groups, who accuse him of ruling with an iron hand and suppressing dissent. Pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, is expected to be his main challenger. Wine ran against Museveni in 2021 and lost with 35 percent of the vote to Museveni’s 59 percent in a highly disputed election marred by claims of rigging and opposition crackdowns. Wine told the BBC in April that running as an opposition figure in Uganda increasingly means being labeled a terrorist. Another opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has been detained since November on treason charges, which he denies, claiming they are politically motivated. As Museveni eyes a seventh term, critics fear Uganda’s democratic space continues to shrink under his leadership, while supporters highlight his role in maintaining national stability and promoting economic growth.

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