Uganda’s Electoral Commission has officially cleared President Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, to contest in the country’s 2026 presidential elections, setting the stage for what could be one of the nation’s most decisive political battles.
Museveni, 81, has held power since 1986, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. Running again under the banner of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), he highlights economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and national stability as proof of his enduring leadership. His campaign pledges include wealth creation, improved education and healthcare, and a renewed fight against corruption.
However, critics see his decades-long rule as a symbol of entrenched authoritarianism. They point to constitutional amendments that removed presidential term and age limits, as well as repeated crackdowns on opposition figures and allegations of human rights abuses.
Bobi Wine, the 43-year-old musician-turned-politician who rose to prominence as a voice for Uganda’s restless youth, is widely regarded as Museveni’s fiercest challenger. Having lost the disputed 2021 election, which he denounced as fraudulent, Wine insists his candidacy represents a generational demand for change. His confirmation at the Electoral Commission in Kampala, accompanied by his wife, drew attention to the growing energy around his campaign.
With the polls scheduled for January 2026, Uganda now braces for a high-stakes contest that pits the nation’s long-serving establishment against the aspirations of a younger, reform-driven movement.
Our channels shares politics, arts & culture, sports, business, Lifestyle, science, technology, health, education, history and environmental news across the globe.
