In a decisive victory, Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni has secured a seventh term in office, winning 72% of the vote in the just-concluded election. The 81-year-old leader’s resounding success has solidified his 40-year rule, which began when he seized power as a rebel commander in 1986, ending the regime of Milton Obote.
Museveni’s main challenger, the charismatic former pop star Bobi Wine, has dismissed the results as “fake” and claims he has gone into hiding following a raid on his home by security forces. Wine, who garnered 25% of the vote, a significant drop from his 35% in the 2021 election, has alleged that the campaign was far from free and fair, pointing to the repeated disruption of his rallies by security forces, including the use of tear gas and live ammunition to intimidate supporters.
Despite the opposition’s claims of irregularities, Museveni has portrayed the victory as a vindication of his leadership, arguing that he has delivered political and economic stability in an era of global uncertainty. The president has pledged to steer Uganda towards achieving middle-income country status by 2030, with the country’s nascent oil industry playing a central role in this goal.
Museveni’s age, however, has raised questions about his physical fitness, with the cancellation of several campaign events due to “state duties” fueling speculation about his health. The president has sought to project vitality and control, telling supporters that he had visited all of Uganda’s more than 140 electoral constituencies.
The election has also highlighted the growing influence of Museveni’s son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the army chief, who is widely seen as a potential successor. The process of selecting the ruling National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) top decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee, in August 2025 is expected to provide further insights into the power dynamics within the regime.
As Uganda’s political landscape continues to evolve, the question of presidential succession remains a central focus. Ugandan journalist and political analyst Allan Kaujja cautions against being fixated on this issue, noting that “change in Uganda, especially political change, does not, and almost certainly will not, happen suddenly.” Instead, he suggests that the election should be viewed as a ritual of the political calendar, one that legitimizes deeper, slower shifts taking place within the ruling party and the state machinery it controls.
