Museveni nominated unopposed for NRM party chairperson and presidential flagbearer

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been nominated unopposed to contest for both the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party chairmanship and as the party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2026 general elections.

He soon after explained in detail the two reasons why he is seeking another term in office.

“What, then, is next, and why am I coming forward to respond to the millions of Ugandans who have been ordering me with the slogan: “Tova ku main” — “Do not leave the main electricity line”? President Museveni asked.

“It is for two reasons. Reason number one, is to work with the NRM structures, to clarify the importance of the 6 aspects that are very crucial in ensuring that Uganda and, maybe by example other parts of Africa, do not, again, miss the bus of history as happened in the past when Europe transformed and Africa stagnated and was enslaved.”

The second reason, he added, “is to have leaders and a party that understands and is committed to the need for a qualitative leap from the status of the lower middle income Country of USD 66 billion by the end of June 2026 to a high middle income Country of USD 500 billion in the next few years.” 

He said this soon after Dr. Tanga Odoi, chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, officially nominated Museveni for both positions, confirming that he was the only aspirant who fulfilled all the nomination requirements. Odoi said Museveni submitted all necessary documents, including a full set of nomination forms, valid bank payment slips, and verified endorsements from at least 151 districts across the country.

“The aspirant is one, and it is President Museveni,” Odoi declared.

Museveni was also nominated unopposed as chairperson of the NRM party, a position he currently holds. Shortly after his nomination, President Museveni expressed gratitude to his legal team and seconders who helped collect endorsement signatures across Uganda’s districts, acknowledging the effort it took to fulfill all requirements.

After the nomination, Museveni outlined six key pillars that he says will guide Uganda’s development in his next termn.

The President noted that Uganda’s continued transformation must be anchored on six fundamental elements: peace, development, wealth creation, job creation, access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and spirituality.

He emphasized that these components are critical for any nation aiming for sustainable growth and long-term stability. He also warned against any threats to national peace, stating that Uganda will not tolerate actions that risk plunging the country back into conflict.

“Peace and security are prerequisites for development and wealth creation,” he noted. On the issue of poverty, Museveni stressed that wealth and poverty are individual experiences. While government provides infrastructure and shared public goods, he argued, individuals and households must take responsibility for actively pursuing wealth.

President Museveni observed that despite national progress, poverty remains widespread in urban ghettos. He said that many youths remain stagnant because they wait for government jobs instead of pursuing other opportunities.

He called for greater support for private sector investment, warning that some investors are being discouraged by operational challenges. He emphasized the need for a more enabling environment to create jobs and drive economic expansion.

In his address, Museveni urged Ugandans to base their support on historical and practical realities rather than emotion. He reflected on Uganda’s turbulent post-independence period, marked by political fragmentation and institutional collapse.

Between 1962 and 1971, he said, the country experienced the breakdown of key institutions such as the army, judiciary, and civil service. He cited the murder of Chief Justice Benedicto Kiwanuka as a stark example of the lawlessness that characterized that era.

Museveni said that since the NRM came to power in 1986, the government has focused on liberation, stabilization, and modernization. He highlighted progress in diversifying the economy, expanding infrastructure, and promoting value addition in agriculture and industry—including in automobile manufacturing and mineral processing.

He reported that Uganda’s economy has grown 16-fold since 1986, lifting the country out of the Least Developed Countries category. However, he cautioned that greater progress could be achieved if corruption is decisively addressed. The President expressed optimism that Uganda could soon attain middle-income status, with a GDP of 500 billion shillings, which he described as a “qualitative leap,” provided that governance challenges like corruption are overcome.

He also revealed growing interest from international investors, including those interested in manufacturing gold jewelry locally, citing Uganda’s pure gold reserves. As he seeks another term, Museveni asked for divine guidance and committed to working with NRM structures to ensure that Uganda does not miss out on the global transformation that bypassed Africa during Europe’s industrial revolution.

Museveni will now wait to contest with candidates nominated by other political parties in the 2026 general elections.