Rwakitura —President Yoweri Museveni addressed the 2026 election results, attributing part of his success to a lower voter turnout among National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters.
“The opposition were lucky because 10 million of our people did not turn up to cast their ballot,” Museveni stated in his victory speech, adding that the NRM had secured about 8 million votes in the election.
Museveni also reflected on the NRM’s large membership base, noting that as of May 6, 2025, the party had 21 million members, with 18 million of them registered voters. “Many of the voters who didn’t turn up were my voters,” he emphasised. “The opposition is lucky. If all our members turned up, they would have experienced our strength.”
The President, who won the recent elections with more than 7 million votes according to provisional Electoral Commission figures, was officially presented with the declaration form by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) at his country home in Rwakitura.
In his acceptance remarks, Museveni thanked God and the First Lady, Maama Janet Museveni, for their steadfast support. “I want to thank God for this victory and for all the victories we have had over the last 55 years of struggle since 1971,” he said. “I also thank Maama Janet for her support.”
He credited the victory to collective effort, praising NRM members, party leaders, and national institutions. “I want to thank the NRM members and all the leaders because they all played a critical role in this victory,” he said, also acknowledging the armed forces, religious leaders, and cultural leaders for their contributions to peace and stability.
The President linked this observation to a return to the founding principles of the NRM, emphasising unity and stability, particularly in regions that had previously experienced conflict.
“That atmosphere of maximum unity is coming back,” Museveni said, citing ongoing peace in parts of northern and eastern Uganda.
Highlighting government initiatives, Museveni praised the Parish Development Model (PDM) and presidential skilling hubs for restoring hope and providing practical skills to Ugandans.
“PDM has given people hope that we can get rid of poverty,” he said. “Skilling hubs are equipping young people with practical abilities.”
He also acknowledged uneven implementation of programs and stressed the need for critical assessment. “We must analyse and find out what is working and what is not,” he said.
Looking ahead, the President outlined two broad economic priorities: supporting wealth creators to grow the economy and decisively tackling household poverty.
“For about 70 percent of the people in the money economy, we must support them to continue growing. For the remaining 30 percent, this is where we must decisively address poverty,” he said, emphasising that PDM funds are central to eliminating poverty at the household level.
Museveni also underscored the importance of free education, improved healthcare, and anti-corruption measures, warning that he would be “very harsh in this Kisanja” on leaders who fail to deliver.
On employment, he reiterated that the focus would remain on agriculture, manufacturing, and the private sector, rather than expanding public service jobs.
The President’s remarks signal a continued emphasis on stability, development, and accountability as Uganda enters the next phase of his administration.
