Thousands of supporters gathered in Kampala on Tuesday for President Yoweri Museveni’s final campaign rally ahead of Uganda’s general election on Thursday, closing a bruising campaign marked by heavy security and rights concerns. Museveni, 81, who has ruled Uganda since 1986 as leader of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), is seeking a seventh term. Constitutional changes passed in 2005 and 2017 removed presidential term limits and age caps, allowing him to remain in office.
Waving yellow party flags, supporters praised Museveni’s record on stability, women’s participation and youth-focused programs, though some acknowledged gaps in implementation. “Money is allocated for the youth, but it doesn’t always reach those who need it most,” said Emma Akello, an NRM supporter. Another backer, Gloria Ninsiima, credited Museveni with expanding women’s rights and public participation. In his address, Museveni urged supporters to turn out to vote and warned that any disruption to the electoral process “would be crushed,” language that drew criticism from opposition figures. Security has been tightened across the capital, with troops and armored vehicles deployed since the weekend. Authorities have also ordered temporary restrictions on mobile internet services, citing concerns about misinformation and incitement moves opposition parties say are designed to suppress mobilization.
Museveni’s main challenger, opposition leader Bobi Wine, 43, has accused the government of intimidation and has campaigned under heavy security following past clashes with forces. The United Nations Human Rights Office has warned the election is taking place in an atmosphere of repression, citing arrests of opposition supporters and limits on freedoms of assembly and expression. More than 20 million Ugandans are registered to vote, with Museveni widely expected to win amid tight control of state institutions, even as scrutiny of the electoral process intensifies at home and abroad.
