Kampala, Uganda – Uganda’s Electoral Commission has officially approved the candidacy of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, clearing the way for him to contest the 2026 presidential election against President Yoweri Museveni.
The decision, announced Wednesday, comes a week after officials initially rejected Wine’s nomination papers. His clearance sets up a high-stakes political rematch between the 43-year-old singer-turned-politician and Museveni, who at 81 is seeking his seventh term after nearly four decades in power.
A Political Rivalry Renewed
In the 2021 election, Museveni won with 58% of the vote compared to Wine’s 35% – the president’s narrowest victory margin since he first assumed power in 1986. Wine alleged widespread fraud, and protests following the results left at least 54 people dead. He was briefly placed under house arrest in the aftermath.
Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) has since become Uganda’s largest opposition bloc in parliament, drawing strong support from younger and working-class Ugandans, particularly in urban areas.
Concerns Over Intimidation
Despite his clearance, Wine and his supporters say they continue to face harassment, arrests, and intimidation from security forces ahead of the polls. “We will not allow our voices to be stolen again,” he said during his nomination ceremony in Kampala, where he appeared with his wife, Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi.
Election officials have pledged to ensure a fair campaign environment, but skepticism remains high. Many Ugandans doubt the credibility of the upcoming vote, given Museveni’s tight grip on state institutions and history of disputed elections.
Museveni’s Bid for Longevity
Museveni, who removed the constitutional age limit for presidential candidates in 2017, urged supporters this week to rally behind his vision for stability and development. Critics, however, say his long tenure has eroded democratic freedoms.
Meanwhile, another prominent opposition figure, veteran politician Kizza Besigye, remains in detention on treason charges. Besigye has unsuccessfully run against Museveni four times.
What’s at Stake
With a growing youth population frustrated by unemployment and inequality, analysts say Wine’s campaign represents the most serious challenge to Museveni’s dominance in years. Whether the 2026 vote will bring change or further entrench the status quo remains the central question as Uganda heads toward another tense election season.