When Uganda’s election people said Yoweri Kaguta Museveni won the January 2026 election, it wasn’t a shock. Museveni has been running things since 1986, way longer than most Ugandans have been alive. They got rid of term limits and age limits in the rules, so it was pretty clear he’d win a seventh term.
But even though everyone knew who would win, the election made people wonder: after 40 years with the same guy in charge, can Uganda really call itself a democracy? What happened before, during, and after the election makes you think about this question even more.
Museveni’s main opponent, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (everyone calls him Bobi Wine), said the election was a joke right away. He said the government scared people, stopped them from voting, arrested his supporters, and used the police and army to cheat. The government and the election people said that wasn’t true and that the election was chill and showed what people wanted. Ugandans have heard this song and dance before after other elections.
This election in 2026 wasn’t special because of who won, but because it revealed the state of power, trust, and what’s to come for Uganda’s politics.
Beyond the Main Guy: What Happened in Parliament
Everyone focuses on who’s president in Uganda’s elections, but what happens in Parliament is also a big deal. Parliament gets to say yes or no to laws, decide where the money goes, and change the important rules. Previously, Parliament eliminated those term limits and age limits, allowing Museveni to stay in charge for longer.
The first results from the 2026 election say that Museveni’s party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), still has the most people in Parliament. That means they still control things. But the results also show that the other parties still have fans, especially in the cities.
Bobi Wine’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), is still doing well in cities like Kampala. So, even though the ruling party is strong all over the country, many Ugandans, especially the young folks in the cities, want something different. The country is split on politics, even if you can’t tell by who’s in charge.
What happens in Parliament matters because it shows that there’s still a competition, but it’s not a fair one. The other parties get to talk, but they’re under pressure and don’t have much room to move.
The Army Shows Up at Bobi Wine’s Place
The government said the army was there to keep things calm and stop trouble. But, for many Ugandans, this made them worry about the army getting involved in politics. When you use soldiers because people don’t agree with the government, it sends a message about how they deal with people who speak up.
This has happened before. Over the years, the government has stopped rallies, arrested people, and told the news to be quiet. Reporters and groups that help people say that these things make it hard to have an honest election.
The army at Wine’s house became a symbol of the problem: even after the election, the government keeps the pressure on. Instead of chilling things out, it just makes people angrier and more suspicious.
Staying Calm or Being Free: Two Different Stories
Museveni’s fans say he’s done good things to defend his staying in power for so long. They say he’s stopped big fights inside the country that happened before. They say roads, schools, and hospitals have gotten better in many places. Uganda also helps keep the peace in the area and lets in a lot of people running from problems in other countries, like South Sudan and Congo.
The countries that work with Uganda care about this stuff. Many see Museveni as someone they can count on for security. So, they don’t say too much about the problems with Uganda’s elections.
Bobi Wine is popular because of this, even though he keeps losing. He’s talking about being treated with respect, holding people responsible, and including everyone. Even though he didn’t win, people still care about what he stands for.
Everything Is About One Guy
Another thing the 2026 election made clear is what happens after Museveni. After 40 years, it’s still not clear who will be in charge next. The system is all about Museveni, and there aren’t many clear ways for someone else to take over.
People talk a lot about Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who’s been showing up more in public. He hasn’t said he wants to be president, but people are worried that the power in Uganda might stay in one family.
This makes things risky. When who’s in charge depends on who people are instead of clear rules, things can change fast and get messy. Strong countries that are run well depend on rules and systems that people trust. Uganda’s system doesn’t answer a lot of questions.
What People Will Remember About the 2026 Election
The 2026 election probably won’t be remembered for changing who’s in charge. Instead, it might be remembered as another time when people saw that elections and democracy aren’t always the same thing.
Elections should give people real choices. When it feels like the winner is already picked and the other parties can’t speak freely, people start to lose hope in voting. This can make them not care about politics or even cause trouble.
Uganda isn’t the only country dealing with this. In Africa, a lot of countries have leaders who have been in charge for a long time and say they should stay because they have experience and keep things calm. Uganda’s situation shows the good and bad things about this.
A Country at a Crossroads
Uganda is in a tough spot. Museveni is still in control, with the help of strong groups and the army. But, a lot of people feel like they’re not being heard.
The big question is not just whether Uganda can stay calm, but whether it can fix its political system in a peaceful way that includes everyone. If they don’t listen to the young people and the other parties, things might be quiet, but there could be bigger problems later.
The 2026 election might not have changed who’s running Uganda, but it showed that the country is still struggling with staying calm and being a democracy. How Uganda deals with this will decide what happens next and teach other African countries about being a leader, using power, and what it really means to have a democratic choice.
Brian Kabenah Mwaniki is a legal advisor, researcher and freelance writer, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
