KAMPALA, Uganda– President Yoweri Museveni has officially picked nomination forms to run in the 2026 general elections, setting his sights on extending a rule that would cross the 40-year mark.
At 81, Museveni is gunning for a fresh term as both chairman of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and as the party’s presidential flagbearer.
His nomination was confirmed by NRM Electoral Commission chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, who handed over the forms at the party’s headquarters along Kyadondo Road.
The president, accompanied by First Lady Janet Museveni, was welcomed with a splash of yellow—courtesy of hundreds of supporters and jubilant boda boda riders donning NRM-branded shirts.
Museveni’s decision to run again, he said, was inspired by “overwhelming calls” from Ugandans, particularly during his recent Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tours. According to him, the people want continuity. “They told me not to abandon the struggle for wealth creation and national transformation,” he said, appealing to Ugandans to support him in the next leg of his leadership journey.
This sets the stage for what could be another headline showdown with opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine. The National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, who officially entered the race earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Museveni used the occasion to caution newly elected NRM district chairpersons against corruption and partiality, urging them to uphold the party’s values as it heads into yet another defining political season.
Whether 2026 becomes another chapter in Museveni’s long political story or marks a new turning point in Uganda’s history remains to be seen. One thing, however, is clear: the race is on, and the battle lines are being redrawn.
