President Museveni has officially declared his intention to run for another term in the 2026 general election, responding to mounting calls from Ugandans urging him to remain at the helm of the country’s leadership.
On Saturday, Museveni was nominated unopposed as the ruling NRM presidential flag bearer and national party chairman ahead of the 2026 general election.
Speaking after his nomination Museveni said his decision to return was influenced by widespread appeals from citizens, popularized through the slogan “Tova ku main”—loosely translated as “Do not leave the main electricity line”.
“I have carefully considered the voices of millions of Ugandans urging me not to step down. I have decided to offer myself once again for leadership to address two critical tasks that lie ahead for our country,” Museveni stated.
He explained that his first reason for seeking another term is to continue working with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) structures to clarify and promote six key pillars for Uganda’s long-term prosperity: peace and security, development, wealth creation, job creation, improved service delivery, and market access through regional integration.
“These six aspects are essential for ensuring that Uganda does not miss the bus of history again, as happened during Europe’s transformation while Africa lagged behind,” Museveni said.
The president emphasized that Uganda’s development depends on a clear understanding of how prosperity is generated, pointing to the private sector—particularly commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT—as the primary engines of job creation.
He cited statistics showing that Uganda’s factories have created 1.2 million jobs, compared to just 480,000 jobs in the entire public service. Agriculture and services sectors, he added, have generated over 8 million jobs combined.
“We must understand that wealth creates jobs. Whether owned by private citizens or government entities like National Water, Uganda Airlines, or Uganda Railways, wealth-producing enterprises are essential for employment and economic growth,” Museveni said.
The president also revealed that his second reason for contesting in 2026 is to lead Uganda through what he termed a “qualitative leap” from its current lower middle-income status to a high middle-income economy within the next few years—well ahead of the Vision 2040 timeline.
“Some talk of 2040, but that is too far for me. We can reach high middle-income status much sooner if we aggressively pursue this goal and eliminate corruption,” Museveni declared.
He noted that Uganda’s economy remains heavily reliant on unprocessed raw materials, limiting its potential. He pointed to the coffee sector as an example, where Uganda earns just USD 2.5 per kilogram from unprocessed beans, while countries that roast and package coffee make between USD 25 and USD 40 per kilogram.
“The same applies to minerals and other resources. By adding value to our products—whether it is tin, gold, or copper—we can significantly boost our export earnings, attract industries, and create more jobs,” Museveni said.
The president stressed that Uganda has a unique opportunity to transform its economy through value addition and the knowledge economy, citing sectors such as automobile manufacturing, vaccines, electronics, and ICT.
“With maximum value addition and full exploitation of our highly educated manpower, we shall achieve this qualitative leap and eventually attain first-world status,” Museveni said.
Reflecting on his six decades at the helm of Uganda’s political leadership, Museveni said he remains committed to seeing the country through this next critical phase.
“God has enabled me to lead the NRM for the last 60 years through many phases. I am ready to continue making my contribution in the next five years, both as President and Chairman of the NRM, to secure Uganda’s future,” he concluded.
Museveni’s announcement sets the stage for yet another high-stakes election in Uganda, where he will seek to extend his presidency beyond four decades in office.
