Museveni’s Son Declares 2031 Presidential Bid, Vows To Win 90%

Uganda’s army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced plans to run for president in 2031, formally declaring his ambition to take over from his father, President Yoweri Museveni.

The 52-year-old made the announcement in a series of posts on X, confirming long-running speculation about his interest in Uganda’s top political office.

“I will stand for the highest office in the land in 2031. And we will win by the grace of Almighty God,” he said.

Kainerugaba has for years been seen as a possible successor to Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986. Aside from serving as the country’s army chief, he also heads the Patriotic League of Uganda, a political pressure group.

Expressing confidence ahead of the proposed 2031 contest, Kainerugaba said he expected to win overwhelmingly, predicting that he would secure 90 per cent of the votes.

He also said his father would play a key role in his campaign.

“Mzee will be my campaign manager,” he said, referring to Museveni by the honorific commonly used for the president in Uganda.

This is not the first time Kainerugaba has publicly indicated an interest in the presidency. He had earlier suggested that he would contest the 2026 election but later dropped the plan, throwing his support behind his father, who subsequently won the poll.

Museveni, 81, has ruled the East African nation for over 40 years and remains one of the continent’s longest-serving leaders.

Constitutional changes that abolished presidential term limits and later removed the age limit for presidential candidates have enabled him to remain in office beyond the restrictions that once limited his tenure.

Whether Museveni will seek re-election in 2031 remains uncertain. Should he decide to run, he would be 86 at the time.

However, Kainerugaba’s latest declaration has once again drawn attention to the question of succession in Uganda, where speculation has persisted for years over the possibility of political power eventually passing from Museveni to his son.