NRM's Yoweri Museveni declared winner of 2026 presidential election

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 UGANDA DECIDES 2026 

Uganda's Electoral Commission on Saturday (January 17) declared President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) the winner of the 2026 presidential election after securing 71.65% of the vote with 7,946,772 votes.

Shortly after 4pm, EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama delivered the final results at the National Tally Centre (EC head office premises) in Lubowa, Lweza.

For NRM stalwart Museveni, it is a huge improvement from the previous election, where he won with 59% of the vote.

Just like in the 2021 poll, he has again beaten his closest challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) — and six other candidates.

From the very time the first set of provisional results were released late on Thursday (January 15), Museveni had pulled in front of the pack, and subsequent sets of provisional results put him in a commanding pole position and right on course for yet another political triumph.

Eventually, he maintained his sizeable lead and went on to secure a comprehensive victory to spark off celebrations in the NRM camp.

It is the first time in three decades that Museveni has won with over 70% of the vote, having last done so in the 1996 election when he secured 74.33% of the vote in a three-way race that also featured Paul Ssemogerere and Kibirige Mayanja.

That 1996 presidential election was the first following the adoption of the 1995 constitution and the three candidates ran as independents due to a ban on political party activities at the time.

Fast-forward to 2026 and long since the introduction of multi-party elections in Uganda, Museveni has once again come out on top in an election that featured a total of eight presidential candidates — all belonging to a political party.

Four of the contestants have been first-time presidential candidates.


Who got what

Of the 11,366,201 total number of votes cast (52.50% of the registered voters), 275,353 of them ((2.42%) were invalid votes.

Here are the votes that each candidate has received, as announced by EC boss Byabakama as provided for by Article 103(3) of the Uganda Constitution and Section 59 of the Presidential Elections Act: 

▪️ Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM): 7,946,772 votes (71.65%)
▪️ Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of the National Unity Platform (NUP):  2,741,238 votes (24.72%)
▪️ James Nathan Nandala Mafabi of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC): 209,039 votes (1.88%)
▪️ Gregory Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT): 59,276 votes (0.53%)
▪️ Frank Bulira Kabinga of Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP): 45,959 votes (0.41%)
▪️ Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party (NPP): 33,440 votes (0.30%)
▪️Mubarak Munyagwa of Common Man's Party (CMP): 31,666 votes (0.29%)
▪️Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party (CP): 23,458 votes (0.21%)

'Let's focus on our country'

In his remarks moments before announcing the final presidential results on behalf of the Electoral Commission, chairperson Byabakama made a clarion call to all Ugandans to remain united as a nation even in the midst of political division.

"Presidential and parliamentary elections are over. Local government elections are coming and will soon be over. I wish to appeal to all Ugandans of whatever class or level in society that, let us now focus on that which is far greater than elections. That is our country Uganda," he said.

"Let us walk united in the quest and desire for a better Uganda that we can all live in in unity, in harmony and in peace.

"Let the victors not be so exuberant in their celebrations to the chagrin of the losers. And let the losers take their defeat with acceptance and know there is another day for another attempt," urged Byabakama.