Uganda, 24 September 2025 – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has officially announced that he will seek re-election in the country’s next year's general election putting to rest speculation about his retirement plans.
In a statement posted on his X account, on Tuesday, Museveni expressed his gratitude to members of his National Resistance Movement (NRM) party for electing him as their presidential candidate for the 2026-2031 term.
Museveni will be seeking a seventh term in office, making him one of the longest serving Presidents not only Africa but the world.
While his nomination, Museveni boasted about Uganda's economic progress under his leadership.
"I want to thank the NRM members for entrusting and electing me as the NRM Presidential flagbearer for the 2026-2031 term. In this economy, the GDP of Uganda has doubled, from $34 billion to $66 billion.’
“You have everything today that you lacked in the past: electricity, roads, telephones, manpower, the educated people, and peace," Museveni said.
"That’s why we are being flooded by many investors because they are looking for a peaceful and profitable area where to invest."
Museveni, Africa's fourth-longest-serving leader, has been in power for 39 years, with his tenure extended after changes to the constitution that removed term limits. He first came to power in 1986 following an armed rebellion and will be 81 years old when the 2026 elections take place.
Museveni’s main challenger in the January Presidential election is Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, a former pop star turned politician. Kyagulanyi is expected to be nominated as the opposition’s candidate on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Kyagulanyi has repeatedly denounced the 2021 elections as fraudulent, accusing the government of voter intimidation, ballot stuffing, and repression by security forces. He has positioned the 2026 election as a "protest vote" against Museveni’s government and has emphasized the need for change.
The opposition People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), led by retired Colonel Kizza Besigye, announced that it would not field a presidential candidate this time around, as Besigye remains out of the race. Besigye was abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024, and returned to Uganda to face charges of treason and illegal firearms possession.
PFF spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju said the party would either support a candidate if consensus is reached or announce its next steps once nominations close.
Along with the presidential election, Ugandans will also vote for members of parliament in January 2026, setting the stage for a politically charged and consequential election.
With Museveni’s long rule at stake, the 2026 elections will be pivotal in determining the future direction of Uganda’s political landscape.
Source: Anadolu Agency (AA)