Twenty-eight-year-old Mayuge teacher eyes presidency in 2026

________________

At just 28, David Mugabi is stepping into the political ring with a broom in hand and a promise to sweep in a new era of leadership. A teacher by profession and a grassroots organiser by passion, Mugabi says the only way to fix Uganda’s broken systems is from the very top, the presidency.

He believes the country is being held back not by a lack of ideas, but by a lack of decisive leadership. It is why, on August 2, 2025, in Jinja, he unveiled an ambitious 67-point manifesto built around wealth creation, practical education, access to healthcare, and an overhaul of public service systems.

“2026 demands fresh energy, artificial intelligence (AI) era governance, not 1980s playbooks,” Mugabi told journalists, making clear his bid to run for the presidency in the 2026 general election.

Presidential aspirant David Mugabi (right) speaking during the press conference where he declared running for presidency as an independent. (Photo by Charles Kakamwa)

Although he recognises the contributions of past leaders, Mugabi argues that Uganda now needs bold reformers with the political will to act. The Busitema University graduate and Mayuge district resident is convinced that real transformation can only begin with full executive power.

“My intention is simple: to deploy the full weight of this office to serve you, not for power but to unlock Uganda’s trapped potential. We don’t need committees, we need leadership that acts,” he said.

“I don’t claim to be the smartest, but I’m the bridge between your pain and Uganda’s promise,” he added.

Currently serving as general secretary of the Busoga Kingdom Youth Council, Mugabi plans sweeping changes if elected. These include reducing the number of Members of Parliament from 529 to 250 and scrapping 78% of special adviser roles.

He also wants to boost local government by allocating 35% of the national budget directly to districts, while supporting 10,000 grassroots innovators nationwide.

To curb theft of medicines in public health facilities, Mugabi proposes setting up National Medical Warehouses with GPS-tracked deliveries and a full-time hotline for drug stockouts.

In education, he promises to “revolutionise the sector by sweeping out neglect and sweeping in excellence.” His 'Teacher First' policy includes doubling teachers’ salaries, to be paid via mobile phones, and offering free housing to educators.

“There will be an overhaul of the curriculum, making it 70% practical skills and 30% theory, while vocational training will be mandatory from senior three to senior four,” he said.

He has also pledged to drive industrialisation by constructing regional refineries for coffee, minerals, dairy, timber and oil by 2030. Mugabi plans to ban the export of unprocessed goods and the importation of locally available foods and products.

“We plan to reintroduce robust farmer cooperatives with government-backed storage and transport systems,” he added.

Mugabi is running as an independent candidate, with the broom as his campaign symbol. However, he remains open to collaboration with opposition parties pursuing change.

“This campaign is not about political party machinery, it is about people power. The broom symbol belongs to every Ugandan ready to sweep in change,” he said.

“President Museveni deserves credit for ending past chaos and stabilising Uganda. However, after 38 years, the system he has built now stifles progress, prolonged power has bred entitlement, for instance, ministers fly jets while hospitals lack gloves,” he added.

Mugabi joins President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu of the National Unity Platform (NUP), and Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), among those who have already declared their intention to contest for the presidency.

If nominated, he will become the third person from Busoga to seek the presidency since independence, following previous bids by Maureen Kyalya in 2016 and Nancy Kalembe in 2021.