Yoweri Museveni Declares Candidacy for Presidential Election as Opposition Challenges Loom

Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s president for nearly four decades, has announced his candidacy for next year’s presidential election. While promising progress for Uganda, he must contend with rising opposition, including challenger Bobi Wine, amid accusations of state repression against dissent.

Uganda's long-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, age 80, has been officially named as the candidate for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the upcoming presidential elections, signaling his intent to extend his nearly 40-year tenure in power. During an acceptance speech at the NRM conference, Museveni reiterated his commitment to elevate Uganda to "high middle-income country" status, stating he responded to a "call" from the nation.

Critics of Museveni point to his authoritarian rule since he became president in 1986 as the leader of a rebel group, claiming he has maintained power through electoral manipulations and constitutional amendments that eliminated age and term limits. The next presidential election slated for January 2024 is expected to see a significant challenge from opposition leader Bobi Wine, also known as Robert Kyagulanyi. Wine, who previously ran against Museveni in a controversial election in 2021, highlighted the increased challenges for opposition figures in Uganda, pointing to the labeling of dissenters as terrorists.

Kizza Besigye, a renowned opposition figure, remains detained after being accused of treason, which he claims is politically motivated. In his recent address, Museveni asserted that his leadership has brought stability to Uganda and stressed that the nation must not miss the "bus of history." He compared Uganda's potential for growth to other resource-scarce Asian countries that have achieved significant economic progress.