Uganda's long-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, has officially declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections. The announcement, made during a conference of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), paves the way for Museveni, who has held power since 1986, to extend his nearly 40-year rule. In his acceptance speech, Museveni portrayed his leadership as a means to achieving stability and progress for Uganda, emphasizing his vision to transform the nation into a "high middle income country."
Critics, however, express deep concerns over Museveni’s autocratic governance and the potential for escalating repression. He has faced critiques for amending the constitution to eliminate term and age limits, which allows him to continuously seek reelection. Among his opponents is pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, also known as Robert Kyagulanyi, who plans to challenge Museveni. Wine previously faced difficulties in the 2021 elections and has noted that the opposition faces severe repression, often being labeled as terrorists by the government.
Another prominent opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, remains imprisoned under accusations of treason, which he claims are politically motivated. As the political landscape heats up ahead of the elections, Museveni urged Ugandans to secure a future that does not let them "miss the bus of history," asserting that nations with fewer resources have reached significant economic achievements and that Uganda can do the same, despite facing challenges. The upcoming elections are anticipated to be contentious, with the debate over governance and human rights taking center stage in Uganda's political discourse.
