For most Ugandans, Yoweri Museveni na di only president dem don sabi for office after im secure im seventh term for di just-concluded election.

Electoral Commission talk say e win 71.65 percent of di vote, and im ruling party, National Resistance Movement, dey expect to further cement dem majority for parliament. Oppositions call di results 'fake'.

Di 81-year-old president — wey grab power for 1986 after e lead guerrilla rebellion — na one of di oldest sitting heads of state for dis world and na di third longest-ruling leader for Africa.

Im supporters dey see im 40-year rule as time wey Uganda get inside stability while many neighbours enter crisis. From independence from Britain for 1962, Uganda don dey suffer coups — nine leaders comot from office inside 22 years — until Museveni climb come power.

Securing gains

For im seventh term campaign, di veteran leader campaign garri on top how to secure di gains wey im don make and promise say dem go push country go middle-income status. Uganda dey near one oil boom as French oil giant TotalEnergies and Chinese state oil firm CNOOC plan to start production for October.

Analysts talk say why Museveni don stay for long na because e sabi position himself well for international mata and e hold state machinery tight for inside country. E don send troops join regional peacekeeping missions and dem praise am for hosting one of di world's largest refugee settlements.

"He get di buy-in of di West because he dey take care of their interest for di region," Ugandan human rights campaigner Kiiza Eron tell TRT Afrika. "And even if stability dey, na stability wey depend on one person."

Plenty people dey worry about how independent state institutions be and di big role wey family members of di president dey play for government. Museveni wife bin be minister of education for di recent cabinet, im first son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba na di head of di military, while im half-brother Salim Saleh dey serve as im adviser on military matters.

Analysts talk say opposition no too fit balance Museveni over di years. Dem point to government intolerance to dissent wey don lead to repeated crackdowns on rivals, even though authorities dey insist say dem measures na to restore order.

Di UN rights office raise similar concern before di election, saying dem see "widespread arbitrary arrests, detentions and di use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against di opposition."

Di president longtime rival Kiiza Besigye don dey detention since November 2024 over charge of treason wey fit carry death sentence. He deny di accusation.

Museveni closest challenger for di election, Bobi Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi), hide after e contest di credibility of di results. Electoral Commission of Uganda never respond to di concern, but on Tuesday di president son post threat online against Bobi Wine for X social media; dem posts don later delete.

Geopolitics vs ambition

Museveni try present im long stay for office say na because di country situation and geopolitics require am, no be only personal ambition. Im campaign dem include pan-African ideas, sey Uganda and other African countries suppose get strong positions for di global order. He mention how recent US military action for Venezuela na wake-up call for bold leadership for Africa wey go prioritise di continent strategic security for land, sea, air and space.

Di 81-year-old leader dey rule one country wey plenty young people dey: over 73% of di 46 million people na under 30 years, according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics. For im speeches e dey always call di youth 'my children and grandchildren'.

Youth unemployment and how dem feel dem no dey part of politics na among di main worries for di election.

"I don dey see am (as president) since I born. He don dey for power all dis time because of im moves," Sultan Ahmed Ikonge tell TRT Afrika.

Plenty people dey discuss wetin go happen after Museveni. But experts talk sey succession plan don dey on ground, and di rising influence of di president 51-year-old son na di clear sign.

"He don already get succession plan. Dem don dey work on am for long… So for all practical purposes, di succession don reach halfway and dem go continue dey work on am," Eron talk.