By AfricaHeadline | Kampala, July 2025
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has confirmed he will run for a seventh term in Uganda’s 2026 general election, a move that could extend his rule to more than 40 years. The announcement has triggered fresh debate over the state of democracy in the East African country and the growing fears of entrenched authoritarianism.
AfricaHeadline Reports Team
editorial@africaheadline.com
Museveni, 80, first seized power in 1986 following a five-year guerrilla war. Since then, he has systematically reshaped Uganda’s political framework to secure his continued hold on power.
Museveni rose to prominence in the 1970s as a political activist and later as a rebel fighter against the regime of Idi Amin. Educated in political science at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, he founded the National Resistance Army (NRA), leading an insurgency that overthrew President Milton Obote in January 1986.
His early rule was marked by promises of stability, unity, and the restoration of democratic institutions. He received wide support from the West and international financial institutions for his role in stabilising the country after years of dictatorship and war.
In the 1990s, Museveni introduced liberal economic reforms and oversaw the drafting of a new constitution in 1995. However, that same constitution was later altered to allow him to remain in power indefinitely.
In 2005, presidential term limits were scrapped. In 2017, the age cap of 75 years was removed. Critics say these changes were made to entrench Museveni’s personal rule. The president and his supporters argue that continuity is essential for national development.
Opposition figures in Uganda have long accused Museveni’s government of political repression. His main challenger, pop star-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was arrested multiple times during and after the 2021 election.
Wine has confirmed he will run again in 2026, but warned that it is “increasingly difficult to survive politically in Museveni’s Uganda.” His campaigns have been violently disrupted, and his supporters face surveillance, arrest, and intimidation.
In May 2025, Uganda’s Parliament passed a controversial law authorising the trial of civilians in military courts under “national security” conditions. The move followed a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that deemed such trials unconstitutional.
The new law has been widely criticised by rights groups, who say it opens the door to further abuse of power. “It’s a step backwards for civil liberties,” said a representative from Human Rights Watch.
Uganda’s economy is projected to grow 5.5% in 2025, buoyed by investments in oil, infrastructure, and digital services. The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a $10 billion project linking Uganda to Tanzania, is expected to boost revenue and foreign investment.
Still, high youth unemployment, rising public debt, and rural-urban inequality remain persistent challenges. The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio now exceeds 50%, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Beyond its borders, Museveni has played an active role in regional diplomacy. He has positioned himself as a key mediator in conflicts in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Horn of Africa. His security apparatus remains among the most experienced and funded in the region.
Uganda has close military and economic ties with both China and the United States, often navigating between East and West in pursuit of national interest.
To many Ugandans, Museveni represents peace, security, and pan-African leadership. To others, he is the symbol of a captured state and stifled democratic space.
As the country moves closer to the 2026 elections, the question remains: can Uganda guarantee a credible, transparent vote under the shadow of a leader who has ruled for nearly half a century?
