Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Uganda’s longtime president Yoweri Museveni, announced on Saturday that he will not contest in the country’s 2026 presidential elections, instead urging his supporters to rally behind his father.
Museveni, who has been in power for 38 years, is expected to seek re-election, though he has not formally declared his candidacy.
“I will not be on the ballot in 2026,” Kainerugaba posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “I fully support President Yoweri Museveni in the upcoming election,” he added, calling for his followers to endorse his father for a seventh term.
Currently the head of Uganda’s military, Kainerugaba has long been viewed as a potential successor to his father, though he has drawn attention for his controversial remarks. In 2022, Museveni had to apologize to Kenya after his son publicly threatened to invade the neighboring country.
Opposition figures in Uganda have accused Museveni of trying to establish a family dynasty, a claim he has repeatedly denied.
Museveni, now 80, has been Uganda’s president since 1986, altering the constitution twice to extend his time in office.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders, including musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, accuse Museveni of using security forces to suppress dissent. Wine, who finished second in the 2021 election, rejected the results, alleging widespread irregularities and voter intimidation, claims Museveni denies.
Museveni, however, called the 2021 election the fairest in Uganda’s history.
