Museveni Poised for Yet Another Term as Uganda Votes in January 2026

Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s president since 1986, is positioned to extend his nearly four-decade grip on power with the upcoming January 2026 presidential election. At 81 years old, Museveni has been officially nominated as the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) candidate. He is campaigning on a platform of protecting Uganda’s gains and advancing the country’s development. His continued tenure would stretch his rule into a seventh term, potentially extending his presidency until 2031.

Museveni’s leadership has seen Uganda undergo considerable changes, which he attributes to bringing stability and progress. His government has twice amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits and age caps, enabling him to maintain his position. Accompanied by his wife Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, the president has urged Ugandans to support his re-election bid to protect the peace and socio-economic advances made in the past 39 years.

Critics argue Museveni rules with an iron fist, citing the use of military courts against opposition and allegations of voter intimidation. His main challenger is Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, a pop star-turned-politician who has accused the government of rigging previous polls. Despite growing tensions and opposition suppression, Museveni projects a vision to elevate Uganda’s economy significantly over the next five years, aiming for a $500 billion economy from the current estimated GDP near $66 billion.

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The election will be a critical moment for Uganda’s political future, testing whether Museveni’s decades-long incumbency will continue or face meaningful challenge from opposition forces in an increasingly polarized environment. Museveni’s campaign remains strongly backed by the ruling party’s top leadership, emphasizing unity and discipline in securing a decisive victory in the January polls.

This key election in East Africa is closely watched as it impacts regional stability and governance, with Museveni’s legacy and Uganda’s trajectory hanging in the balance ​.