Uganda's Political Landscape: Museveni Secures Seventh Term Amid Controversies

Sun Jan 18 2026 00:25:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Yoweri Museveni's recent election victory raises questions about the future of democracy in Uganda, as his main rival, Bobi Wine, challenges the legitimacy of the election.

Yoweri Museveni, at 81, has won a seventh term in office, claiming 72% of the vote in the recent elections. Despite his victory, opposition leader Bobi Wine doubts the legitimacy of the result, pointing to alleged electoral irregularities and a crackdown on dissent. Museveni aims to guide Uganda towards middle-income status, leveraging the country's emerging oil resources, even as conversations about political succession loom amidst concerns about his health.

For supporters of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, his resounding victory in the just-concluded election is a vindication of his 40-year-long rule.

He won with 72% of the vote, close to his highest-ever tally of 74% in Uganda's first direct presidential election in 1996. This victory reinforces the 81-year-old's claim that he still commands the support of the overwhelming majority of Ugandans, after seizing power as a rebel commander in 1986.

However, Museveni's main election rival - the charismatic former pop star Bobi Wine - has dismissed the result as fake and reported going into hiding following a raid on his home by security forces.

Museveni campaigned on his track record, arguing that he has provided political and economic stability during global uncertainties. He pledged to steer Uganda towards achieving middle-income status by 2030, framing this as a legacy for his upcoming seventh and possibly final term.

The president sees Uganda's nascent oil industry as a central pillar towards achieving that goal. He indicated that once exports commence, the economy would grow at double-digit rates, targeting to start crude oil exports by October via a pipeline to Tanzania.

Despite his age, Museveni has sought to exude vitality, claiming to have visited all 140 electoral constituencies. Yet, recent cancellations of several campaign events sparked rumors about his health.

Bobi Wine’s defeat is a significant setback; his vote share plummeted from 35% in 2021 to 25% this time. He insists the election was neither credible nor legitimate, citing disruptions from security forces and alleged ballot stuffing.

As questions about his political future arise, analysts observe that the dynamics in Ugandan politics are shifting, with Museveni consolidating power through a new generation within his ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), increasingly influenced by military leaders and family connections.

In the aftermath, discussions about succession continue to dominate the discourse, as Uganda's political future appears set to be influenced by Museveni’s lineage, with his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba emerging as a key figure in the years to come.