Kampala, (UG):- The First and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced that he will not run for president in the upcoming 2026 elections, a year after he unveiled his bid for the same.
Taking to his official account on X (formerly Twitter), Muhoozi, who is also Chief of Defence Forces said he will fully support his father in the next election for a 7th term in office as Uganda’s President.
“I would like to announce that I will not be on the ballot paper in 2026. Almighty God told me to focus on His Army first. So, I fully endorse President Yoweri Museveni in the next elections,” Gen Muhoozi said in a post at around 1am on Saturday morning.
Muhoozi in another post said he would continue serving as army chief. “For me, NOTHING on this earth is more Holier than UPDF. So, I cannot think of a greater honour than being in UPDF. It is Holy Ground!! God bless Holy UPDF and Sacred Uganda forever!!!”
The First Son’s sudden U-turn not to stand for presidency as many of his fans expected leaves them in despair and stunned after the General had in 2023, Muhoozi announced ambitions to become Uganda’s President by 2026.
In his March 2023 post on X, gen Muhoozi said; “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.”
“How many agree with me that our time has come? Enough of the old people ruling us. Dominating us. It’s time for our generation to shine.”
But his decision to back off his ambitions for Presidency comes just a week after a section of ghetto youths last week petitioned the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) head Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo to ask President Museveni not to allow what they termed as a forceful transition arguing that it’s not yet the right time for him to step down as he still has a lot to accomplish in his “manifesto.
“As ghetto youths, we do not believe in forceful transition. As ghetto youth, we have been supported through the informal sector with different skilling initiatives. We have been allocated funds for all government projects, starting with Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and Youth Lively hood fund,” the youths led by Kawempe Division ghetto representative at ONC Moses Banalekaki vowed.
”Dear our chief muzzukulu these youths you see here also want you to officially launch their hashtag dubbed ”NyokoTransition”, to them this is nonsense, they don’t want to hear that Museveni is going, going where, did he elect himself? We gave him our votes and we are still ready to vote for him in 2026, it’s us to let him go, so madam please we are telling all those calling for a transition that ‘Nyoko Transition’, no to transition and forget transition.”
It remains unclear why Gen Muhoozi, the Chairman of Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political pressure group winged on the ruling NRM, abandoned the presidential race.
The 2026 polls are expected to attract the participation of singer-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine and Dr Kizza Besigye who also seeks a comeback to the political scene, DP’s Mao, among others.
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