President Yoweri Museveni, 80, has Wednesday officially picked nomination forms to run for President of Uganda in the upcoming 2026 general election.
Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986, did not personally pick the papers but his party, NRM, Secretary General, Richard Twodong and first national chairman Moses Kigongo did. Museveni is currently out the country in Egypt on a state visit.
He was recently cleared by his party as the chairman and also its presidential flag-bearer.
In a brief address following the submission of expressionof interest forms to the party, Museveni emphasized that his decision to run was prompted by widespread calls from party members across the country, especially during the Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tours.
He framed his potential re-election as continuity in leadership that ensures Uganda’s stability and socio-economic progress .
Who Else Is Joining the Race?
Meanwhile, on August 11–12, 2025, a total of 78 presidential aspirants, comprising mainly independents and a handful of minor party candidates, collected nomination forms from the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters in Kampala.
The aspirants included several youthful entrants and little-known political figures—clearly highlighting a growing interest in challenging Museveni’s near four decades in power .
According to Uganda’s Electoral Commission, aspirants must collect endorsements from at least 100 registered voters across two-thirds of the country’s districts, and pay the 20 million shillings nomination fee.
The deadline for submitting completed forms is slated for two weeks before the official nomination exercise scheduled for September 23–24, 2025, at the EC’s new premises in Lweza, Entebbe .
Museveni’s decision to run again cements his intentions to seek a seventh term, which would extend his rule closer to five decades.
His announcement has reignited concerns from critics and human rights groups about prolonged single-leader rule, accusations of democratic backsliding, and politically motivated detention of opposition figures—especially as veteran rival Kizza Besigye remains behind bars on contested treason charges .
As the campaign season heats up, Museveni’s continued dominance comes amid rising opposition momentum, including from youthful candidates and established figures like Bobi Wine, who has declared his own intent to run for the presidency .