Bobi Wine to Face Off With Museveni on Nomination Day
The contest for Uganda’s presidency in 2026 is set to begin with a dramatic twist after National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, better known as Bobi Wine, confirmed that he will be nominated on the same day as President Yoweri Museveni.
Both men are scheduled to present their papers before the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 23rd September, at the Commission’s newly established headquarters in Bwebajja. The rare scheduling has raised expectations of a charged political atmosphere as the country’s most prominent rivals kick off the campaign season side by side.
Bobi Wine announced the date on Thursday while addressing supporters at the NUP party headquarters. He also revealed that his first rallies will immediately follow his nomination.
“Nomination for President Tuesday, 23rd September. We’ll have two rallies thereafter: at Katwe and at Nateete,” he wrote on his X account.
The opposition leader stressed that his team had already notified the authorities about their planned activities.
“This morning, we notified Uganda Police and the Electoral Commission about our intention to hold two public rallies immediately after the nomination of our Presidential Candidate, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert. The first rally will be held at Katwe Grounds and the second at Kaala Playground in Nateete,” Bobi Wine said.
At the same time, he cautioned security agencies against frustrating opposition gatherings.
“We are aware that Museveni and his people will be holding their post-nomination rally and Kololo and hope the police will not act criminally and seek to interfere with our activities,” he added.
President Museveni, who is seeking another term under the National Resistance Movement (NRM), will cap his nomination with a post-nomination rally at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The simultaneous events are expected to stretch the Electoral Commission and security forces, testing their ability to ensure fairness, order, and equal space for both the ruling party and opposition on what promises to be one of the most politically charged days of the campaign calendar.
