Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has officially announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2026 presidential poll, extending a rule that has spanned four decades.
Museveni, 81 came to power in 1986 after leading a successful guerrilla war.
He was recently cleared by Uganda’s Electoral Commission to contest the election scheduled for January 15, 2026.
If re-elected, he would secure a seventh term.
Also, this further cementing his status as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
Initially hailed as a reformist who brought stability after years of autocratic rule, Museveni’s long tenure has increasingly attracted criticism.
Over the years, his administration has faced persistent allegations of corruption, democratic backsliding, and the shrinking of civic and political freedoms.
“Corruption has been central to his rule from the beginning,” Kristof Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp, told Reuters.
Supporters of the president argue that his leadership has delivered relative stability, infrastructure expansion, and economic growth.
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However, critics, including opposition leader and pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, accuse Museveni of entrenching authoritarian rule, suppressing dissent, and presiding over widespread human rights abuses.
