Kampala, Uganda – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially declared his bid for the 2026 general election, unveiling a strategic six-point agenda that promises accelerated economic transformation.
The announcement came after the National Resistance Movement (NRM) nominated him unopposed as both the party’s National Chairman and Presidential Flag Bearer, a move seen as cementing his continued grip on power.
The 80-year-old leader, who has been in power since 1986, credited his decision to mounting public pressure, particularly the grassroots momentum behind the “Tova Ku Main” campaign orchestrated by the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) under Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo.
Museveni said the slogan reflected the will of the people urging him to complete what he called an “unfinished revolution.”
Addressing thousands of supporters and NRM delegates at the party’s Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala, Museveni set out the pillars that will define his campaign with focus on security consolidation, infrastructure expansion, value-added industrialisation, job creation, improved social services, and unlocking regional markets through stronger East African integration.
“Our economy has grown from $3.9 billion in 1986 to $61 billion today,” Museveni noted. “But this is not enough. We must shift from a raw material economy to one powered by full value addition, science and technology — and reach $500 billion long before 2040.”
Museveni warned against careerism in politics, urging NRM structures to become economic producers rather than dependents on state office. He called on leaders to champion wealth creation in their communities and avoid turning political leadership into a personal business.
His remarks also reaffirmed his long-held ideological line, anchored on patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation and democratic governance. He challenged young people to rise above personal ambition and rally around national interest.
Following the President’s nomination, Senior Presidential Advisor and ONC National Coordinator, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, welcomed Museveni’s endorsement of the Tova Ku Main campaign.
She praised it as a people-driven initiative that forced even the sceptics to reckon with the President’s enduring popularity.
“Let those who mocked our efforts be humble enough to admit that the people’s voice has prevailed. This campaign is not about individuals, it’s about preserving Uganda’s stability and prosperity,” she said.
Saturday’s high-level event drew Uganda’s top political figures including the First Lady Maama Janet Museveni, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong, CEC members and long-serving historicals such as Alhajj Moses Kigongo and Hon. Tom Butime.
Museveni’s formal nomination by the national electoral body is expected later in September ahead of what is shaping up to be a high-stakes 2026 presidential race.
