By Edrine Benesa
Haters from the opposition who have held onto the thin hope of a divisive rivalry between supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and its sister pressure group – PLU saw their hopes crash when General Muhoozi Keinerugaba announced his retreat from the 2026 presidential contest, endorsing President Museveni instead.
The debate on whether Muhoozi will be challenging for the top seat come the next general elections or not has been raging on for the past couple of years, birthing an imaginative rivalry between the ruling NRM led by General Museveni and the CDF’s PLU support base. Haters, particularly from the opposition have been undeniably anxious to reap from the supposed confusion, trying to draw a wedge been the supposedly harmonious relationships between the two outfits.
At the climax of the speculation, some would go as far as forecasting a throat-squeezing encounter between father and son which would in turn give rise to a rejuvenated opposition to ultimately take power after four decades of trying without success.
As the evil-intentioned souls waited optimistically, the strong-witted General rose with a banger last week with the announcement that shook the country, both within and without the ruling side. In the new announcement, Muhoozi did not only stop and declare he had retreated from the presidential race but also named who he was endorsing for the contest- his father, General Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni.
The Commander of the UPDF proceeded to direct his supporters to follow suit in supporting General Museveni’s reelection bid, in what has largely been interpreted to be a boomerang to those that had spelt doom for the nearly four-decade-colourful Museveni reign.
Turmoil had been touted for the ruling side heading into the next general election but the new developments have completely reversed the trajectory. Not only has Muhoozi assured Uganda that he is that patient, foresighted leader the country needs to look at when discussing the transition question but also laid bare his willingness to keep his every ambition in waiting for the sake of a stable nation.
All available analyses had sparingly zeroed on the young general as the most formidable candidate to take over from the current president. The allure of the nationwide appeal of Mof uhoozi’s anticipated presidential ambition should have resoundingly tempted anyone to step into the waters full force without considering the stability of the system. Unsurprisingly, the CDF wasn’t one to be tempted as he was ready to wait for the right time. In so doing, the first son he already committed the time between now and when he will seek the presidency, to a noble cause of modernizing the army, thereby ensuring the stability of the country.
A track record of zero tolerance for graft has already earned him the pathname of a reformist, with the President previously backing him to stamp out the vice after him. The clearest signal sent is that the ruling establishment can now sigh with relief since they have now known who will be their torch bearer for the next election.
Equally relieving for the National Resistance Movement is that the likelihood of a time-consuming successor identification process in the future could have been washed away with this mer act of sacrifice and foresight from Muhoozi. As things stand, it certainly seems unlikely that those who call the shots inside the establishment will forget the goodwill gesture exhibited by MK in 2024 when the succession question returns for discussion in the future.
With all the impediments to a successful reelection bid for President Museveni in 2026 addressed, the focus will most certainly return to strategizing for the Kyadondo Road-headquartered outfit to consolidate its assertive dominance in most parts of the country, while reclaiming the lost territory in Busoga and Buganda which narrowly slipped away in 2021.
The Writer is the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Nakawa Division, Kampala.
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