Odoi endorses Museveni as 2026 NRM flag bearer, says Muhoozi is standby generator

TORORO, UGANDA: The Chairperson Electoral Commission of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Dr Tanga Odoi has revealed President Yoweri Museveni will hold the ruling party’s flag come 2026 despite the insurgence of First son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Odoi made the remarks on Saturday while addressing the constituents of West Budama North constituency in Tororo District at the belated Women’s Day celebration organized by area MP Max Ochai at Bishop Yona Okoth Primary School in Nagongera sub-county.

Describing Muhoozi’s plans to vie for the presidency as a joke, Odoi emphasised that President Museveni is there until 2026 and even beyond following the Central Executive Committee (CEC) declaration in 2019.

“We stand firm to tell Uganda and the whole world that we have President Yoweri Museveni for 2026 as a flag bear. First of all I’m the chairperson electoral commission NRM party and I am the one who gives flags. I have only one declaration form which I will give it to President Yoweri Museveni and after giving I will declare nominations closed,” he said.

With ululations and applause from the crowd, Mr Odoi further explained that Muhoozi is like a standby generator and has to wait until after the main power switches off.

“Our brother Muhoozi is a standby generator. He is a serving soldier in the military, he can’t come into active politics until he resigns and once he resigns, he needs time to acclimatise and know what they do with politics. We are going to keep Museveni not until the party decides who comes next,” he emphasised.

In a message on the social media platform Twitter on March 15, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly re-declared that he will run for the presidency in 2026 whether his father stands or not.

“In the name of Jesus Christ my God, in the name of all the young people of Uganda and the world and in the name of our great revolution, I will stand for the presidency in 2026,” Muhoozi wrote in his tweet then.

The way Muhoozi has kept repeating this declaration suggests two things: Either he is not sure of himself deep down and must drum up this message as a way to gain self-confidence; or there is doubt or contest over his presidential interest and in repeating this ambition, he is trying to assert his claim to the office.

President Museveni has publicly come out to disclose whether he intends to stand again in 2026 for a record seventh term, although his supporters have encouraged him to do so.