Uganda’s President Museveni, 80, Seeks Seventh Term – Citing ‘National Interest’ as Motivation
Critics question the legacy of Africa’s long-serving leaders who refuse to step aside
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, 80, has confirmed his intention to seek a seventh term in the country’s upcoming January 2026 elections, stating that his candidacy is driven by the need to protect the “national interest” and uphold the ideology of his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, is already one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, having spent nearly four decades in office. His announcement—delivered in a statement posted on social media over the weekend—has reignited debate around aging leadership and political succession across the African continent.
“Uganda has gone through five phases of development since 1986,” Museveni wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Now, our focus is to grow the economy to $500 billion GDP in the next five years. This is why national interest must remain our guiding principle.”
Museveni made the comments while addressing newly elected NRM district leaders, urging them to remain impartial, reject corruption, and support leaders who truly understand the party’s ideology.
The “Indispensable Leader” Narrative
Museveni’s pitch for continued rule fits into a familiar pattern across parts of Africa: leaders in advanced age clinging to power, often citing national stability or unfinished development goals as justification.
Despite the presence of term limits in many African constitutions, legal reforms, constitutional amendments, and party dominance have allowed a handful of long-serving leaders to entrench themselves in power—frequently at the cost of democratic growth.
Museveni has amended Uganda’s constitution multiple times—once to abolish term limits in 2005, and again in 2017 to remove the presidential age cap, which would have barred anyone over 75 from running.
“At 80, Museveni claims to be the only one who can safeguard Uganda’s future,” said a regional political analyst. “The irony, of course, is that decades of rule have not produced a clear succession plan or democratic resilience.”
Uganda’s Tumultuous Political Past
Museveni’s rise to power followed a guerilla war against the regime of President Milton Obote, whom he accused of rigging elections in the early 1980s. After a successful insurgency, Museveni seized power in 1986 and has held onto it ever since.
Before Museveni, Uganda suffered through a brutal military dictatorship under Idi Amin, whose eight-year rule (1971–1979) was marked by economic collapse and mass atrocities. Museveni has long positioned himself as a stabilizing force in contrast to that past.
Yet, in recent years, political repression, youth unemployment, and human rights violations have drawn growing criticism from civil society groups and international observers.
Museveni joins a cadre of African leaders—including Paul Biya of Cameroon (in power since 1982), Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea (since 1979), and until recently, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe—who have stayed in office for decades, often resisting transition.
While some have touted their development records or legacy projects, critics say their refusal to step down often undermines democratic institutions and blocks the emergence of new leadership.
“The idea that national interest depends on a single aging leader is not only outdated—it’s dangerous,” said an African governance expert based in Nairobi.
Next Stop: 2026 Elections
The January 2026 election is expected to be highly contentious. Museveni’s main political rival, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has already begun organizing youth-led rallies calling for political reform, free elections, and an end to Museveni’s nearly 40-year rule.
In previous elections, opposition candidates have faced arbitrary arrests, internet blackouts, and violent crackdowns on supporters.
International observers, including the African Union and European Union, have called on Uganda to ensure the 2026 polls are transparent, peaceful, and competitive.
Yoweri Museveni’s insistence on seeking a seventh term—at age 80—may be cloaked in the language of national interest, but it also reflects a troubling reluctance to relinquish power. In a continent with the youngest population in the world, the leadership remains remarkably old and unchanging.
As Uganda prepares for what could be another high-stakes election, one question remains unanswered:
Can a nation move forward if its leadership refuses to let go?
