The President of the Common Man’s Party (CMP), Mubarak Munyagwa, spoke enthusiastically on Tuesday at the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters in Lubowa, outlining his vision for the first 100 days in office and setting the stage for Uganda’s 2026 presidential race.
Addressing supporters and members of the press following his nomination to contest for the country’s top seat, Munyagwa expressed gratitude to the Electoral Commission, acknowledging the challenges of the nomination process.
“Being here was not an easy journey. It was a journey full of hurdles. The process was stringent, but we managed through,” he said.
“We thank the Electoral Commission for executing professionalism. Some internal processes took longer than expected, and at one point, we thought we wouldn’t be nominated,.”
The Former Kawempe South Member of Parliament, described his presidential bid as the start of a long journey to empower Uganda’s citizens.
“This campaign is about the ordinary Ugandan. After years under both rulind and opposition parties that promised change but delivered little, it is time for leadership that truly serves the common man,” he said.
“A long journey is commencing — the journey to liberate the common man. I am a veteran in this struggle.”
The CMP leader emphasized the principles of equity, equality, and justice, symbolized by the party’s emblem, a silver plate, locally known as a lusaniya.
“Our symbol, a silver plate, is a large serving dish that, in many Ugandan homes, gathers families and friends around a meal. This represents the unity and inclusiveness we want for our nation,” Munyagwa said.
Munyagwa committed to advocating for the release of political prisoners including Dr. Kizza Besigye within 24 hours of his presidency if elected into office.
“During my campaign, I will fight for the release of Dr. Kizza Besigye and all other political prisoners,” he stated.
Economic revival also featured prominently in his speech, saying ; “We need to bring the economy back into the hands of the common man. Our businesses are crying due to foreign involvement, who are loitering around illegally. This will be addressed immediately.”
Munyagwa also proposed revisiting the East African Corporation Protocol, citing perceived inequalities in regional trade.
lWe open our markets to them, but they close theirs to us. Additionally, we will review our national language policy and replace Swahili with French, which is widely known and used internationally,” he said.
On social services, the CMP leader outlined ambitious plans for the health and education sectors.
“We intend to nationalize the health sector, take over the education sector, and ban private education. Ugandans deserve leadership that works for the common man, not personal interests,” he said.
The party, officially launched in July, was formed out of dissatisfaction with Uganda’s opposition politics. Munyagwa publicly distanced himself from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in June 2024, citing poor management, and ruled out joining the National Unity Platform (NUP), describing it as “poorly managed” and overly influenced by leadership’s personal interests.
Munyagwa’s remarks signal a robust challenge for the 2026 elections, where he will face incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, alongside opposition contenders including NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine), Gen. Mugisha Muntu (ANT), Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC), Elton John Mabirizi (CP), and Robert Kasibante (NPP).