I Am Not Going Soon!! Museveni ‘Trashes’ Son Muhoozi’s 2026 Presidency Bid

Ugandan President Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni appeared to halt his son’s 2026 presidential aspirations after Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s MK Movement transformed into the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a civic organization officially registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) rather than as a political party under the Electoral Commission (EC).

Gen Muhoozi had been widely anticipated to make significant announcements in 2024, including his retirement from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the formation of a political party, and a plan for establishing party structures.However, the first son, also serving as his father’s senior advisor on special operations, announced that his political movement had evolved into PLU, a civic organization.

The announcement made no mention of Muhoozi’s presidential ambitions for 2026.President Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has promptly clarified that the 79-year-old longstanding leader would be the party’s presidential candidate in 2026.

During an event commemorating NRM Day in Serere District over the weekend, the party’s secretary general, Richard Todwong, affirmed Museveni’s candidacy for 2026, stating, “[Museveni] will be our flag bearer come 2026, and he is ready to serve the country.”Todwong characterized groups advocating for Muhoozi’s political aspirations and those supporting his father as “tributaries to take water to the main river.”

He dismissed the disagreements between Museveni and Muhoozi supporters as illogical, driven solely by “fights for positions and limited opportunities we have.”

Previously, Museveni had cautioned Muhoozi against individuals advocating for his 2026 presidential candidacy.

“You remember when he celebrated his 48th birthday, there was some enthusiasm by some of the youths. When I analyzed it, I could see that it was because of weakness of our system. I could see it was sort of a resistance movement within the resistance movement,” said Museveni last year.

“Of course some of the things Muhoozi doesn’t know is that some of them are looking for their own interests. Some are looking for this, some are looking for that,” Museveni said.

“Some of the frustrated youths go to that group [MK Movement] thinking that there is hope.”

Individuals associated with Muhoozi in the MK Movement have transitioned to PLU alongside him.