Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni is officially set to seek a seventh term in office in the country’s 2026 General Election, extending his 39-year rule.

This confirmation came Monday, June 23, from Tanga Odoi, the chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission.

Odoi explained that the Ugandan strongman would personally collect his nomination forms on Saturday, June 28.

"Like other candidates, the President and National Chairman of NRM will express interest and also pick nomination forms by himself. He will pick expression of interest forms for two positions, one for chairperson of the party and the other to contest if he is given a chance for presidential flag bearer," Tanga said.

According to the NRM’s internal election timetable, the window for collecting nomination forms runs from June 26 to July 1, with formal nominations for Central Executive Committee (CEC) aspirants set for July 4.

Museveni, who turns 81 in September, has ruled Uganda since 1986 after seizing power through armed rebellion.

His decades in power have made him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, following only Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang, Cameroon’s Paul Biya, and Congo Republic’s Denis Sassou-Nguesso.

Under Museveni’s leadership, the NRM has twice amended Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, first in 2005 to scrap presidential term limits, and again in 2017 to remove the age cap of 75 years, which would have barred him from contesting again.

While NRM insiders hail his stability-focused leadership, particularly his regional security role and economic initiatives like the Parish Development Model and Uganda’s budding oil sector, critics paint a more troubling picture.

Most critics have argued Museveni’s extended rule has undermined democratic norms, eroded institutional independence, and shut down viable avenues for leadership renewal.

Opposition to Museveni’s continued rule remains strong, especially among Uganda’s youthful population.

Among the youth, pop star-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, continues to galvanise resistance.

Wine, who came second in the disputed 2021 presidential elections, has confirmed he will challenge Museveni again in 2026.

Elsewhere, Deputy Prime Minister and veteran NRM politician General Moses Ali, 86, was officially nominated to defend his Adjumani West parliamentary seat.

The nomination took place at the party’s Kampala offices on June 17, but Ali remained inside his car throughout, allegedly due to poor health, a moment that sparked public concern.

Observers noted his visible frailty and questioned his capacity to campaign effectively.

Source: TUKO.co.ke