UGANDA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- What is happening President Yoweri Museveni won the 15 January 2026 election; his 26 May cabinet kept Prime Minister Nabbanja.
- Why it matters Museveni’s ruling party holds 372 of 529 seats, so most political contests happen inside the ruling camp.
- The numbers Turnout was 52.50%, or 11,366,201 of 21,649,067 registered voters; the army holds 10 of the 529 seats.
- Who is who Museveni is president, Robinah Nabbanja prime minister, Flavian Zeija chief justice, and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba army chief.
- What to watch How the opposition uses Parliament, how courts handle political cases, and the role of General Muhoozi.
- What it means for you US goods trade with Uganda was about US$318 million in 2025, including US$119.4 million of American exports.
One man has led Uganda for decades, his party holds almost three quarters of Parliament, and his army chief is his son. Here is who holds power in Uganda in November 2026, and how it is shared.
Uganda politics in November 2026 revolves around President Yoweri Museveni, who won the election of 15 January 2026. His party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), holds 372 of the 529 seats in Parliament.
This guide names the people and institutions that hold power in Uganda and shows how they share it. It uses official pages read in November 2026 and gives a date for every figure.
More coverage sits on the Rio Times Uganda page and in the Uganda Explained guide. Related pillars cover who runs the economy and Uganda’s neighbours.
Uganda Politics at a Glance
The list below names the main office holders and the one fact that defines each. Sources and dates follow in the sections after it.
- President: Yoweri Museveni, who is also commander in chief, won the vote of 15 January 2026 and leads the 2026 to 2031 term.
- Vice president: Jessica Alupo, named again on 26 May 2026.
- Prime minister: Robinah Nabbanja, leader of government business in Parliament, kept her post on 26 May 2026.
- Deputy prime ministers: Rebecca Kadaga is first deputy and also handles East African Community affairs, Crispus Kiyonga is second, and Lukia Nakadama is third.
- Army chief: General Muhoozi Kainerugaba is Chief of Defence Forces, according to the army website.
- Chief justice: Flavian Zeija, named as head of the judiciary on its own website.
- Ruling party: the NRM, led by Museveni, with Richard Todwong as its secretary general.
The President and the Ruling Party
Museveni is both head of state and head of government, and he chairs the cabinet. The president’s own pages describe him as President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces.
Uganda voted on Thursday, 15 January 2026. The Electoral Commission, the independent body that runs elections, declared the presidential result on 17 January 2026.
Its report counts 11,366,201 votes cast out of 21,649,067 registered voters, a turnout of 52.50%. It lists 275,353 invalid votes, or 2.42%, and eight candidates took part.
A petition against the result reached the Supreme Court after the vote, its website shows. Court reports from late February 2026 say the petition was withdrawn, but the court’s own pages read do not show the ruling.
The NRM is the movement behind Museveni and the biggest party in every part of government. Its secretary general, Richard Todwong, attended the first full cabinet meeting of the new term on Monday, 29 June 2026.
Janet Museveni, the president’s wife, kept her post as Minister of Education and Sports in the 26 May 2026 list. That makes the family present in the cabinet as well as in the army.
The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
The president named his cabinet for 2026 to 2031 on Tuesday, 26 May 2026. The list runs to dozens of appointees, from cabinet ministers to ministers of state and senior presidential advisers.
Robinah Nabbanja stays prime minister and Jessica Alupo stays vice president. Museveni then chaired the first cabinet meeting of the new term on 29 June 2026, his office says.
The main portfolio holders on the state house cabinet page are shown below. Ministers serve at the president’s pleasure, so the list can change at any time.
- Finance, Planning and Economic Development: Henry Musasizi.
- Defence and Veterans Affairs: Kiryowa Kiwanuka.
- Foreign Affairs: Ambassador Adonia Ayebare.
- Internal Affairs: Professor Ephraim Kamuntu.
- Energy and Mineral Development: Monica Musenero.
- Justice and Constitutional Affairs: Norbert Mao, with Sam Mayanja as Attorney General.
- Health: Chris Baryomunsi.
- Security in the Office of the President: Jim Muhwezi.
Lieutenant General Proscovia Nalweyiso is listed as Senior Presidential Adviser on Defence and Security. The Kampala Capital City Authority, which runs the capital, is led by Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki, who attended the same cabinet meeting.
Parliament and How Seats Are Shared
The 12th Parliament, which sits from 2026 to 2031, has 529 members, the Electoral Commission’s report shows. The NRM has 372 seats and independents have 68.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has 49, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) 12 and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) 9. The Democratic Party has 6, two small parties share 3, and the army has 10.
So the NRM holds about 70% of the seats, 372 of 529, and independents add another 13%. Independents are not one bloc, so they cannot be counted as opposition.
Members were sworn in over several days. The parliament website says 270 had taken the oath by its latest swearing-in notice.
Parliament still votes on budgets and laws. Our news pages follow talk of power sharing with the opposition, which this guide does not treat as settled.
The Opposition
The NUP is the largest opposition party with 49 seats. The FDC has 9, the UPC 12 and the DP 6, and all four are far smaller than the NRM bloc.
The pages read name no Leader of the Opposition for the 12th Parliament. That office, and its holder, are listed under what is not known.
Opposition parties compete under rules set by the Electoral Commission. The commission ran repeat votes for village councils in 17 villages of seven districts on Monday, 19 October 2026.
Those local polls show how many layers of elected office sit below Parliament. Uganda is divided into districts, and villages elect their own councils.
The Army and the Security Forces
The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) are led by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Chief of Defence Forces, the army website lists. He is the president’s son, and Museveni is listed above him as Commander in Chief.
The army sits inside Parliament with 10 reserved seats. It also advises the president through officers such as Lieutenant General Nalweyiso.
The police are a separate force, and the Uganda Police Force website did not name its Inspector General in the pages read. Jim Muhwezi is the minister for security in the Office of the President.
Strong ties between the presidency, the army and the ruling party mean power is concentrated in a small circle. Investors watch that circle closely.
The Courts
Chief Justice Flavian Zeija heads the judiciary, its official website says. The Supreme Court in Kampala is the final court of appeal and hears petitions against presidential elections.
Its role is to check the election process, not to rule on policy. A petition does not by itself stop the president from governing.
The judiciary’s pages read do not list recent rulings on military trials of civilians or other politically charged cases. Legal tests of that kind are a main way the courts can limit the executive.
Who Is Rising
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba is the figure most often named as a future power centre, because he commands the army. Rebecca Kadaga, a former Speaker of Parliament, is first deputy prime minister in the 2026 cabinet.
Janet Museveni has held the education portfolio and remains in cabinet. Ambassador Adonia Ayebare now leads foreign affairs, which matters for relations with Washington and Beijing.
No official page says who would follow Museveni. The term now running is the 2026 to 2031 term.
How Power Is Shared
Formal power is shared among the president, Parliament and the courts, and the president chooses the cabinet. In practice the NRM and the army give the president a very strong position.
Parliament’s 529 seats give the NRM a safe majority, so laws pass easily. Independents and the NUP can still use debates, committees and court petitions to apply pressure.
India’s 2026 BRICS chair website lists Uganda among ten partner countries. That gives it a place near China, Russia and India.
What It Means for US Readers
The US Trade Representative, the White House trade office, puts goods trade with Uganda at about US$318 million in 2025. American exports were US$119.4 million, up 14.5%, and imports were US$198.5 million, up 50.3%.
The US goods deficit with Uganda was US$79.1 million, and services trade was about US$827 million. The USTR page contradicts itself on whether Uganda is eligible for AGOA, so check that status before shipping.
Investors should read the political map as stable at the top and uncertain at the edges. Decisions on oil, contracts and succession are taken by a small circle around the president.
Travellers should read the current State Department advisory for Uganda before booking, since it could not be opened for this guide. Political events can change security conditions quickly.
What Is Not Known
- Vote shares: the percentage each presidential candidate received, because the tables of the Electoral Commission report could not be read.
- Petition outcome: the Supreme Court’s own record of the petition, which was reported withdrawn in February 2026.
- Parliament leaders: the names of the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition in the 12th Parliament.
- Police leadership: the current Inspector General of Police.
- Cabinet details: the full list of appointees and some portfolios, such as information technology, where official pages differ.
- Detained opposition figures: the legal status of opposition leaders and activists, which no official page read states.
- US advisory: the current State Department travel advisory level for Uganda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the president of Uganda in 2026?
Yoweri Museveni won the election of 15 January 2026 and leads the 2026 to 2031 term. He is also commander in chief of the armed forces.
Who is the prime minister of Uganda?
Robinah Nabbanja kept the post when the cabinet for 2026 to 2031 was named on 26 May 2026. She is also leader of government business in Parliament.
How many seats does the ruling party hold?
The NRM holds 372 of 529 seats in the 12th Parliament, the Electoral Commission report shows. Independents hold 68 and the NUP holds 49.
Who commands the Ugandan army?
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba is Chief of Defence Forces. President Museveni is Commander in Chief above him.
What was the turnout in the 2026 election?
Turnout was 52.50%, or 11,366,201 of 21,649,067 registered voters. The Electoral Commission declared the presidential result on 17 January 2026.
Is Uganda a BRICS member?
Uganda is listed as a partner country, not a full member, on India’s 2026 BRICS chair website. The group has 11 full members and 10 partners.
How much does the United States trade with Uganda?
Goods and services trade was about US$1.1 billion in 2025. Goods trade alone was about US$318 million.
Sources: Electoral Commission of Uganda, General Election Report 2025-2026; Electoral Commission of Uganda; Office of the President, first cabinet meeting, 29 June 2026; State House of Uganda, the Cabinet page; Judiciary of Uganda; Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces; Parliament of Uganda; US Trade Representative, Uganda; India BRICS 2026 chair website (all accessed 4 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Expat Guide to Uganda
What The Rio Times publishes for foreigners who live in or move to Uganda.
Coming up in Uganda
- Nyege Nyege Festival Opens Near Jinja, Uganda 19 Nov 19 Nov
- Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Qualifiers: Standings, Dates, TV 19 Jun
Understand Uganda