Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the 80-year-old president of Uganda, has officially announced his intention to run for another term in the upcoming January 2026 presidential election. If successful, his tenure would stretch close to five decades in power.

Museveni has led Uganda since 1986, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. As of 2025, he ranks as the third-longest consecutively serving non-royal head of state in the world—behind Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya of Cameroon.

Despite criticism from opposition groups and human rights activists who describe his rule as increasingly authoritarian, Museveni remains a dominant figure in Ugandan—and regional—politics. His longstanding alliance with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has further solidified his status as a key player among Africa’s entrenched leaders.