Tensions, sharp contrasts, and bold declarations defined the NTV Presidential Debate 2025 at Serena Hotel in Kampala, where five of the eight presidential candidates presented their visions for Uganda ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
Arriving to loud applause from supporters, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, the president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the country’s leading opposition figure, set the tone with fierce criticism of the current government.
“Our country has been completely messed up and needs to start afresh,” Kyagulanyi said in his opening remarks. “Uganda needs a reset.”
He expressed disappointment that President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly four decades, was absent from the debate.
“I had really hoped to meet Gen. Museveni here,” he said. “I wanted to hear from him directly about the gains he says he is protecting.”
Kyagulanyi accused the government of presiding over corruption, misrule, and the abandonment of Uganda’s youth. “We are in a country where the Head of State is the chief priest of corruption,” he said. “Tackling corruption begins with fixing governance.”
He also delivered one of the night’s most striking lines when he described himself as a peaceful revolutionary. “I am a legitimate rebel, similar to Museveni in the 1980s, except that I am non-violent,” Kyagulanyi declared. “Museveni is the past; I am the future.”
Kyagulanyi promised sweeping reforms, vowing never to use state security forces for partisan purposes. “Once I am president, I will never use the police or the army for political purposes,” he said. “The UPDF has been reduced to a tool of oppression. According to the law, the military must remain subordinate to civilian authority.”
He framed his candidacy as a generational transition. “I don’t present myself as the most capable, or the most educated, or the oldest, or the most experienced,” he said. “But I am the most committed to lead this generation. Voting for me is voting to end 40 years of dictatorship.”
Other Candidates Weigh In on Unity and Opposition Strategies
The debate also featured Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Frank Bulira, Nandala Mafabi, and Male Mabirizi, each responding to questions about whether they would consider backing Kyagulanyi given his apparent popular support.
“We’re always open to discussion as ANT,” said Gen. Muntu. “If we were to sit and agree on strategies for both NUP and ANT, strategies could be agreed. I have no problem.”
Frank Bulira acknowledged Kyagulanyi’s mobilisation ability but argued that the struggle predated NUP.
“I appreciate Bobi Wine for bringing this struggle to where it is,” Bulira said. “But this struggle started in the 1960s. The crowds are important, but they must have guided focus. I’d be the person Bobi Wine should rally behind because I’m the solution to this country’s problems.”
Nandala Mafabi offered a blunt assessment of political contestation. “For you, you may be mobilising using music or guns like Museveni,” Mafabi said. “There’s no measuring tool that you’re the best. So, we wait with time.”
Mabirizi, on the other hand, revealed that he had previously sought alliances. “I sat with him thrice in his house,” he said. “I wrote to him twice and wrote to these presidential candidates to join hands, but they didn’t respond.”
The debate attracted widespread attention, with 1,023,034 people tuning in online according to NTV, marking one of the highest-ever viewerships for a political broadcast in Uganda.
“A massive thank you to each one of you who joined us,” NTV noted in a message to viewers. “Your presence, energy, and insightful engagement shaped the conversation and made this event impactful.”
