(BBC) Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s long-time president, who is 80 years old, has been named the candidate for the ruling party in next year’s presidential election. This allows him to try to continue his nearly 40 years in power.
In his speech accepting the nomination, Museveni mentioned that he answered the call and, if he wins, he will continue his goal of making Uganda a “high middle income country”.
Critics of Museveni argue that he has ruled harshly since he took control as a rebel leader in 1986.
He has won every election since then, and the constitution has been changed twice to remove age and term limits so he can stay in power.
Pop star turned politician Bobi Wine is expected to be Museveni’s main opponent in the election set for next January.
Wine told the BBC in April that he would run against Museveni if his party, the National Unity Platform, nominated him, but he said it was becoming “tougher” to be in opposition due to increasing government repression.
“Being in the opposition in Uganda means being called a terrorist,” he stated.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, lost the last election in 2021 to Museveni, with 35% to 59% in a vote that was tainted by claims of rigging and a crackdown on opposition.
Another well-known opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has been in jail since November after being accused of treason. He denies the charges, claiming his arrest is politically motivated.
During his acceptance speech at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) conference on Saturday, Museveni said he has brought stability and progress to Uganda.
He emphasized that it was important for Uganda not to “miss the bus of history like in the past when Europe advanced while Africa fell behind and was enslaved”.
Museveni expressed his desire for Uganda to make a “qualitative leap” and become a “high upper middle income country”.
“Other countries in Asia with fewer natural resources have done it. We can do it too,” he concluded.
