Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on June 28 picked up nomination papers from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) headquarters in Kampala, confirming his bid for a seventh term in office ahead of the 2026 presidential election, a party statement said.

The 80-year-old leader, who has ruled since 1986, was greeted by supporters as he arrived to formalise his candidacy. Museveni has consistently dismissed calls to retire, retaining firm control over both the state and his party. Past elections have been plagued by violence and allegations of rigging.

His main challenger, opposition leader and musician Bobi Wine, has also declared his candidacy, despite arrests and intimidation of his supporters.

“An agent of foreign interests who cannot be trusted with power,” Museveni is quoted by Associated Press (AP) as saying of Wine.

Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has never been convicted of any of the numerous charges brought against him and maintains that his campaign is peaceful.

Long-time opposition leader Kizza Besigye remains in detention on treason-related charges his lawyers say are politically motivated.

Museveni’s extended hold on power mirrors a wider trend across parts of Africa where entrenched leaders dismantle constitutional constraints, often weakening democratic institutions. According to the World Bank, Uganda – home to over 45mn people – has never experienced a peaceful handover of power since independence from Britain in 1962.

Parliament removed the presidential age cap in 2017, clearing the way for Museveni to run indefinitely. His son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who commands the defence forces, has publicly expressed interest in succeeding him, the BBC reported on April 26, 2023.

In a separate move raising concerns over judicial independence, as bna IntelliNews reported, Museveni recently signed into law an amendment restoring the military’s authority to try civilians under specific conditions, reversing a January Supreme Court ruling. Opposition groups have warned that the law will be used to stifle dissent ahead of the polls.

Museveni first came to power in 1986 after leading a guerrilla war. He has since been elected six times under the NRM. The 2021 vote, which handed him a sixth term, was criticised by the EU and US for lacking transparency.