Kampala, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was on Tuesday officially nominated by the Electoral Commission in Kampala to contest for another term in the 2026 General Elections, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Uganda’s political journey.
Running under the campaign theme, “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status,” the President pledged to consolidate the country’s achievements over the past decades while steering Uganda into a new phase of socio-economic transformation.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, the President thanked all Ugandans who had contributed to his nomination and turned up in large numbers at Kololo.
“Your presence here today shows the spirit and power of the National Resistance Movement. I also thank our religious leaders for the powerful prayers,” he said.
He then outlined the key priorities of his 2026–2031 campaign, emphasizing the importance of production and distribution as the backbone of Uganda’s economy.
“Twelve years ago, only 32 percent of Ugandans were engaged in commercial agriculture while 68 percent were outside the money economy. According to the last census, only 33 percent remain outside the money economy. That is progress. But now, I call upon the remaining 33 percent to join the wealth creators,” he said.
He noted that national revenues, which fund infrastructure such as roads, come from Ugandans already engaged in productive work, and that universal participation in wealth creation would accelerate Uganda’s progress to upper middle-income status.
“Nobody should say, ‘I have not benefited.’ If you produce, earn, and distribute, you will benefit. The testimony is from people like Joseph Ijara of Serere, who embraced commercial agriculture. That is why we say we are protecting the gains,” he said.
Government Programmes to Support Wealth Creation
The President pledged to strengthen existing development initiatives while introducing new measures:
Parish Development Model (PDM): Maintained, with an additional UGX 15 million allocated to parish leaders.
Emyooga: To continue supporting household enterprises.
Uganda Development Bank (UDB): To provide financing for large-scale ventures.
Fisheries: Government to establish a firm at every landing site to ease entry into the sector.
Youth Empowerment: University graduates without jobs for two years to access loans to start businesses.
Ghetto Funds: Rolled out in Kampala and Mbale, with Jinja and other towns next in line.
Boda Bodas: UGX 10 billion already deposited into boda boda SACCOs.
Skilling Hubs: Funding expanded to 171 districts and municipalities to train graduates.
Religious and Cultural Leaders: Special funds to be disbursed to strengthen their institutions.
“Nobody will be left behind in the money economy. We are going forward together,” Museveni said.
Policy Priorities for the Next Term
- Healthcare:
Museveni pledged to fight drug theft in health centers.
“It is not true that government cannot deliver efficient healthcare. We defeated polio and kicked it out of Uganda through immunization. If immunization can succeed, the whole system can succeed,” he said.
- Security & Crime:
“Nobody can bring war here; the UPDF will destroy them. But we must fight crime, and NRM leaders must supervise their areas to ensure police works effectively,” he said.
- Roads:
He vowed timely construction of both tarmac and murram roads.
“Roads like Mityana–Mubende–Fort Portal must be prioritised. We must avoid diverting money to minority interests such as creating new districts and salaries before finishing roads and infrastructure that serve all Ugandans,” he said.
- Water:
Every village will be supplied with clean water. - Fighting Corruption:
“The fight begins with you, the people, because you are near the scene of the crime. Money is sent to the parish; ask where it is. You can call me, but you are the first line of defense,” he said.
- Irrigation:
He emphasized irrigation to support agriculture.
“In Bunyoro there is more rain than in Central Uganda. We must balance this by developing irrigation systems,” he said.
Museveni concluded by announcing that he would unveil a detailed 2026–2031 manifesto soon.
Other Leaders Rally Behind Museveni
NRM First National Vice Chairman Alhajji Moses Kigongo congratulated Museveni and called for party cohesion.
“We have opened a new chapter. Those who lost in primaries should not return as independents. We are ready to support all flag bearers to ensure victory,” he said.
He then handed over the NRM flag to President Museveni as a symbol of leadership into the 2026 general elections.
Former Prime Minister Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, who was among the official seconders of President Museveni’s nomination, delivered a passionate tribute to the President’s legacy and achievements over the decades.
He expressed gratitude that the NRM now has a duly nominated candidate to carry its flag into the 2026 elections, noting that this nomination was a reaffirmation of the party’s unity and strength.
Rugunda reflected on the transformation that Uganda has undergone since 1986, attributing it to Museveni’s leadership. He said that when the President took over power, the country was in a state of despair and disarray, yet through vision and resilience, he was able to lift Uganda from the brink of collapse.
“When Museveni took over in 1986, he pulled Uganda from a dungeon into a united and peaceful country. Because of improved healthcare, polio cases dropped dramatically. Government has also uplifted livelihoods through programmes like PDM and Emyooga. Ugandans should embrace these and support NRM’s progress,” he said.
Vurra County Woman MP, Hon. Charity Lameya, took to the podium to add her voice to the celebrations, commending President Museveni upon his successful nomination.
She noted that the event marked not just the beginning of a campaign season, but also a renewal of commitment to the values and achievements of the National Resistance Movement.
Hon. Lameya emphasized that the responsibility of consolidating the gains the country has made over the years now rests squarely on the shoulders of the youth, popularly known as the Bazzukulu ba Museveni.
“The responsibility of consolidating the gains lies with the youth, the Bazzukulu ba Museveni. They must overwhelmingly support the President in 2026,” she said.
Janet Museveni: Education Has Expanded Tremendously
First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni addressed concerns about children studying under trees, urging Ugandans to view progress in context.
“In 1986, Uganda’s population was 14 million. Today it is 46 million. Back then, there were only 33 districts; now we have 135. We had 5,320 primary schools, today we have 12,549. Government secondary schools have grown from 459 in 1986 to 1,524 in 2025,” she said.
She highlighted the strides made in improving teacher remuneration, noting that the salaries of science teachers had been significantly enhanced from UGX 950,000 to UGX 4 million. Arts teachers currently earn UGX 1,078,000 for degree holders and UGX 784,000 for diploma holders, while in private schools salaries range between UGX 350,000 and UGX 1.2 million, depending on institutional capacity.
“Government remains committed to further enhancing the salaries of arts teachers, alongside those of all civil servants,” she said.
The Minister urged teachers to remain dedicated to their profession, assuring them that government will continue to prioritize investment in educational infrastructure.
“All gaps will be addressed, and schools in need of rehabilitation will be worked upon. To complete what we started, it is important that we entrust President Museveni with another term of leadership,” she emphasized, before concluding with prayers for national unity and God’s continued protection over Uganda.
