Uganda’s leader, who has been in power since 1986, was confirmed on Tuesday as a candidate in January’s presidential vote and urged supporters to back his vision for the future.
Electoral officials formally declared President Yoweri Museveni a candidate at an event just outside of Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after more than 2 million supporters signed on to back his bid, according to his party.
In 2017 Uganda lawmakers removed a constitutional age limit on the presidency. Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement is the majority party in parliament.
Museveni told supporters after he was officially nominated that his goal is “to convince the people of Uganda of what has been achieved in the past and what we are planning to do now.”
Attracting investors
Attracting more foreign investors into the east African country is a priority, he said.
Hundreds were gathering at ceremonial grounds in Kampala to celebrate the nomination later on Tuesday.
Museveni’s main political opponent, Bobi Wine, is a popular entertainer whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu. He is scheduled to be nominated later this week.
In the 2021 election, Wine secured 35% of the vote, while Museveni, with 58%, posted his worst-ever result, establishing Wine as the president’s most potent challenger in decades.
Wine alleged his victory was stolen through widespread ballot stuffing and other malpractices. Electoral authorities denied the allegations.
Familiar rivals
The January vote is expected to reprise the contest between the two. Museveni dismisses his opponent as an agent of foreign interests and has questioned his patriotism.
Yet Wine has a large following among working-class people in urban areas, and his party has the most seats of any opposition party in the national assembly.
Uganda has the second-youngest population in the world, with more than three quarters of its people below the age of 35, according to the UN children’s agency