Kampala’s streets turned yellow on Tuesday as thousands of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters poured into the city to celebrate the nomination of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the party’s flagbearer in the 2026 general elections.
From early morning, jubilant crowds draped in the ruling party’s signature yellow colours marched and danced along major city roads. Trucks blared music while supporters waved posters bearing Museveni’s portrait, chanting for the continuation of his nearly four-decade rule.
Soft drinks were sprayed into the air, soaking portraits in what supporters described as a symbolic gesture of renewal.
“This nomination is not only a sign of his continued wise leadership but also a signal that there is much hope in his regime,” NRM stalwart Lydia Wanyoto told the BBC. “Museveni has brought peace and stability, and that must be consolidated.”
At several points across the city, however, the celebrations collided with heavy security deployments. At Kavule along Bombo Road, near the headquarters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), a group of NRM supporters attempted to stage what they called a “welcome point” for Museveni.
Security personnel swiftly dispersed the gathering, citing concerns about clashes with opposition members.
The capital’s mood oscillated between carnival-like festivity and tense stand-offs as police trucks lined key junctions. While NRM supporters dominated the day with music, banners, and chants of “steady progress,” security forces remained on high alert.
Museveni, 81, is seeking another term under the NRM ticket, extending a tenure that began in 1986. Supporters hailed his leadership as the foundation of Uganda’s peace and economic transformation.
Critics, however, argue that his long stay in power has weakened democratic institutions and stifled political competition.
Despite such criticisms, the yellow wave in Kampala underscored the ruling party’s political muscle. “We are here to celebrate our candidate, our leader, and the future of this country,” said one supporter at Kololo, where Museveni officially received his nomination.
As campaigns kick off, the spectacle in Kampala signaled the NRM’s determination to secure another five years for Museveni at the helm.
