Museveni Confirms 2026 Re-election Bid Amid Opposition Crackdown Claims
Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has officially confirmed President Yoweri Museveni will seek re-election in the January 2026 presidential polls, setting the stage for him to potentially extend his nearly 40-year rule.
The announcement came via a statement broadcast on the state-owned Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) on Monday. Tanga Odoi, Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, stated that President Museveni would soon collect expression-of-interest forms for two key party positions.
“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 the chance for presidential flag bearer,” Odoi declared.
This confirmation, while widely anticipated, formally initiates Museveni’s bid for a sixth elected term. He first seized power in 1986 and has won every presidential election since the country’s return to multiparty politics in 1996, though opposition parties and international observers have frequently contested the fairness of these votes.
Museveni’s prolonged tenure has been marked by increasing criticism. Opponents and human rights groups accuse him of systematically consolidating power, notably through constitutional amendments that removed presidential term limits in 2005 and age limits (previously set at 75) in 2017. Critics argue these changes, coupled with alleged suppression of dissent and restrictions on opposition activities, have stifled Uganda’s democratic development.
The NRM’s confirmation of Museveni’s candidacy comes amidst fierce accusations from the political opposition of a coordinated campaign to undermine their participation in the upcoming electoral cycle.
Robert Kyagulanyi, the opposition leader popularly known as Bobi Wine and head of the National Unity Platform (NUP), recently alleged a widespread conspiracy by Museveni’s government to block NUP youth candidates from participating in ongoing special interest group elections.
Kyagulanyi claimed that in approximately 80% of Uganda’s over 140 districts, government officials actively obstructed NUP youth hopefuls. “Our youth were blocked by Electoral Commission officials, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), and GISOs [Gombolola Internal Security Officers],” Kyagulanyi stated earlier in June.
He further alleged instances of intimidation, stating that in some areas, “hired goons” prevented candidates from submitting nomination papers.
These allegations follow recent incidents where NUP youth meetings in the towns of Jinja and Mityana were reportedly broken up by security forces. The opposition views these actions as part of a deliberate strategy by the NRM government to weaken political competition ahead of the crucial 2026 general elections.
The NRM, along with other parties, is currently screening and approving its candidates for various positions in the 2026 elections. Museveni’s formal nomination as the NRM flag
