TRANSITION FROM MUSEVENI: Date Set for Ugandans to Choose Museveni Successor

Ugandans will have a chance to choose the person who might succeed the elderly Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni who will have ruled the impoverished East African nation for four decades in 2026. But this will depend on if Museveni chooses to retire to his Rwakitura home or decides to extend his rule beyond 40 years.

A peaceful transition of power has eluded Uganda since she gained her independence from British colonialists in 1962.

But 2026 may present an opportunity for a peaceful transfer from one leader to another.

And already, the country’s Electoral Commission (EC) has released a roadmap for the 2026 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections, clearly indicating dates for the polls.

The following is the roadmap for 2026 elections:

• Benchmarking on Electoral Participation by Citizens in Diaspora, Prison, PwDs and Special Institutions: Saturday, 3 June 2023 to Friday, 1 September 2023.
• Procurement of Materials and Services for the Demarcation of EAs and Re-organization of Polling Stations: Wednesday, 3 April 2024 to Saturday, 1 June 2024
• Recruitment, Training and Deployment of Parish and Subcounty Supervisors for purposes of Reorganisation of Polling Stations: Wednesday, 29 May 2024 to Thursday, 27 June 2024
• National Training Workshop for Staff on Commencement of Roadmap, Demarcation of EAs and Reorganisation of Polling Stations: Thursday, 13 June 2024 to Saturday, 15 June 2024
• Regional Stakeholders Engagement Workshops on Strategic Plan, Roadmap, Demarcation of EAs and Reorganisation of Polling Stations: Saturday, 22 June 2024 to Saturday, 22 June 2024.
• Field Demarcation of Constituencies and Electoral Areas and Reorganisation of Polling Stations: Thursday, 4 July 2024 to Saturday, 13 July 2024
• General Update of the Register in each Parish. In line with Article 61 (1)(e): Friday, 3 January 2025 to Friday, 24 January 2025
• Compilation of Youth, PWDs, Older Persons, Workers, UPDF and Professional Bodies Voters Registers. In line with ECA Sec. 18(1): Friday, 3 January 2025 to Friday, 24 January 2025
• Cut-off of Update of the National Voters’ Register and Compilation of Youth, PWDs, Older Persons & Workers Registers. In line with ECA Sec. 19(7) & 19(8)(a): Friday, 24 January 2025 to Friday, 24 January 2025
• Display of the National Voters’ Register at each Polling Station. In line with ECA Sec. 24(1) & Sec. 25(1): Friday, 18 April 2025 to Thursday, 8 May 2025
• Display of the SIG Committees Voters Register in each Village/ KCCA/UPDF/EC/Workers Offices: Friday, 18 April 2025 to Monday, 28 April 2025
• Display of Tribunal recommendations at each Parish. In line with ECA Sec. 25(1a): Friday, 9 May 2025 to Monday, 19 May 2025
• Nomination of Village SIG Committees Candidates (OP, PwD, Youth): Monday, 2 June 2025 to Tuesday, 10 June 2025
• Nomination of Parish/Ward SIG Committees Candidates (OP, PwD, Youth): Thursday, 26 June 2025 to Friday, 27 June 2025
• Deadline for establishment of academic papers with the EC by aspiring candidate 2025/2026:
• Local Governments: Thursday, 3 July 2025 to Thursday, 3 July 2025
• Presidential: Friday, 1 August 2025 to Friday, 1 August 2025
• Parliamentary: Wednesday, 16 July 2025 to Wednesday, 16 July 2025
• Deadline for resignation by Public Servants intending to contest
• Local Governments: Saturday, 2 August 2025 to Saturday, 2 August 2025
• Presidential: Wednesday, 1 October 2025 to Wednesday, 1 October 2025
• Parliamentary: Friday, 13 June 2025 to Friday, 13 June 2025
• Nomination of Sub-county, Town and Municipal Division SIG Committees Candidates (OP, PwD, Youth): Monday, 14 July 2025 to Tuesday, 15 July 2025
• Holding of Sub-county Conferences to elect Non-unionized Workers Delegates to the District: Friday, 11 July 2025 to Friday, 11 July 2025
• Nomination of Municipality/City Division SIG Committees Candidates (OP, PwD, Youth): Thursday, 24 July 2025 to Friday, 25 July 2025
• Nomination of District and City SIG Committees Candidates (OP, PwD, Youth): Monday, 11 August 2025 to Tuesday, 12 August 2025
• Holding of District Conferences to elect Non-unionized Workers Delegates to the Regions: Thursday, 7 August 2025 to Thursday, 7 August 2025
• Nomination, Campaigns and Polling for National Youth Council Committee: Wednesday, 27 August 2025 to Friday, 29 August 2025
• Nomination of Candidates (Local Governments including SIGs). In line with Section 119(1): Wednesday, 3 September 2025 to Friday, 12 September 2025
• Nomination of Candidates (Parliamentary). In line with Section 9: Tuesday, 16 September 2025 to Wednesday, 17 September 2025
• Nomination of Candidates for Presidential Elections: Thursday, 2 October 2025 to Friday, 3 October 2025
• Nomination of candidates for SIGs Representatives to LGs: Monday, 8 December 2025 to Friday, 12 December 2025
• Polling Period for Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Governments Councils including SIGs Representatives in line with Article 61(2): Monday, 12 January 2026 to Monday, 9 February 2026

According to this roadmap, Ugandans will vote their president on Monday, January 12, 2026. In about 48 hours from this date, Ugandans will have a ‘new’ president. Already, Museveni’s son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced he will run for president in 2026. His father Museveni seems to have endorsed his MK Movement after the youthful general said he was tired of waiting forever to take over from his father. (See Details Here and There).

You can read about the members of the First Family reportedly interested in replacing Museveni in 2026, as well as the most powerful presidential advisors, who are more influential than ministers Here, There and Over There.

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