Uganda’s incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially been nominated as a presidential candidate for the 2026 general election, clearing all requirements under the Presidential Elections Act. The 82-year-old leader will be seeking a seventh term in office, and if reelected, he will have ruled Uganda for 45 years by 2031, making him one of the world’s longest-serving non-monarch heads of state.
The Electoral Commission, chaired by Justice Simon Byabakama, confirmed that Museveni met all legal requirements, including the submission of nomination papers, academic credentials, and sufficient endorsements from registered voters across Uganda. So far, only Museveni and Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have been cleared among dozens of aspirants who attempted to meet the threshold for nominations.
Museveni’s nomination solidifies his intention to continue a long-standing presidency, which his government says has brought stability, infrastructure development, and regional security. Supporters argue that another term will protect the gains made under his leadership and accelerate Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
However, his seventh-term bid is stirring debate both domestically and internationally. Critics argue that the political field remains uneven, pointing to challenges faced by opposition figures in meeting nomination requirements, allegations of crackdowns on dissent, and concerns about ageing leadership stifling fresh ideas. The country’s political environment is expected to be closely monitored by international observers, particularly with regard to free and fair elections.
As campaign activities intensify ahead of the January 12, 2026 election, opposition leaders, including Robert Kyagulanyi “Bobi Wine,” have indicated they will contest, despite earlier hurdles with nominations and legal scrutiny. The election is shaping up as a high-stakes contest, with implications not only for Uganda’s democratic institutions but also for citizen trust and political openness.
Museveni’s nomination is a historic moment in Uganda’s political landscape. By securing a path to a seventh term, he underscores both the continuity of his leadership and the persistent debate over the balance between experience, stability, and the need for generational change in governance.
