Uganda's 80-year-old president in bid to extend 40-year rule

In his acceptance speech, Museveni said that he had responded to the call and, if elected, he would press ahead with his mission to turn Uganda into a "high middle income country."

Museveni's critics say he has ruled with an iron hand since he seized power as a rebel leader in 1986.

He has won every election held since then, and the constitution has been amended twice to remove age and term limits to allow him to remain in office.

Pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine is expected to be Museveni's main challenger in the election scheduled for next January.

Wine told the BBC in April that he would run against Museveni if ​​he was nominated by his party, the National Unity Platform, but he was getting "tougher" to be in opposition because of growing state repression.

"Being in the opposition in Uganda means being labeled a terrorist," he said.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, lost the last election in 2021 to Museveni by 35% to 59% in a poll marred by allegations of rigging and a crackdown on the opposition.

Another prominent opposition politician, Kizza Besigye, has been in detention since November after being accused of treason. He denies the allegation, saying his arrest is political.

In his acceptance speech at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) conference on Saturday, Museveni said that he had brought about stability and progress in Uganda.

He said it was crucial that Uganda did not "miss the bus of history as happened in the past when Europe transformed and Africa stagnated and was enslaved."

Museveni added that he wanted Uganda to take a "qualitative leap", and become a "high upper middle income country".

"Other countries in Asia with less natural resources, did it. We can do it," he added.

You may also be interested in:
Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent?
How Besigye disappeared in Kenya and ended up in military court
How an ex-rebel has stayed in power