Museveni asks rivals to justify their presidential ambitions

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President Yoweri Museveni has challenged his political opponents to explain what they intend to do for Ugandans if elected president in January next year.

Addressing his second and final campaign rally of the day at Soroti City Sports Ground on Monday (November 3), Museveni outlined six of the seven key contributions of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, as captured in the party’s 2026–2031 manifesto.

These, he said, include ushering in peace, fostering development, promoting wealth creation initiatives, providing jobs, improving service delivery, expanding markets, and maintaining unity and political stability.

“This is the manifesto we are presenting to you; not somebody to come and say, ‘I want to be president, I want to be president’. [To be president] in order to do what? How are you going to solve our problems?” he asked.

“Therefore, the people of Teso, I appeal to you to support NRM because of the seven points, six of which I have mentioned here,” Museveni told a mammoth crowd that braved the scorching sun to listen to him.

Politics of knowledge

The incumbent president also used video screens to show people working in industrial parks such as Mbale and Namanve in Mukono district.

“NRM always wants politics of knowledge; not politics of propaganda, of shouting…So, I am using these examples to answer the question of where do jobs come from. Some people try to give you the impression that jobs come from the government,” he said.

He explained that all government jobs combined total 480,000. “How can 480,000 jobs cater for the population of 480,000 now?” he wondered.

“These new factories are now employing 1.3 million Ugandans. They are employing three times more people than the employees of the government, who are 480,000,” he added.

Museveni is seeking re-election on the NRM ticket for a seventh term under the theme Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status. The theme focuses on consolidating achievements of the past 39 years, including peace and development, while aiming to propel Uganda to a high middle-income status.

He is being challenged by seven candidates: Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform, Joseph Kasibante of the National Peasants Party, Robert Mabirizi of the Conservative Party, and Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation.

Others include Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change, Mubarak Munyagwa of the Common Man’s Party, and Frank Kabinga of the Revolutionary People’s Party.