Uganda, where President Yoweri Museveni is seeking a seventh term that would extend his four decades in power, enters a pivotal moment as voters head to the polls on Thursday. With one of the youngest populations in the world and significant expectations pinned on future oil production, the East African nation faces both opportunities and enduring challenges.
Below are five key issues shaping Uganda today:
Regional military footprint
Uganda’s modern history has been deeply influenced by conflict. President Museveni, who came to power in 1986 after leading a rebel movement that helped end Idi Amin’s brutal rule, has since positioned Uganda as a regional security actor.
The country has been a major contributor to international military efforts, notably providing the largest African troop contingent to Somalia since 2007 in the fight against the al-Shabaab militant group. Ugandan forces have also been involved in conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and continue to maintain a military presence there. More recently, Uganda deployed troops to South Sudan in support of President Salva Kiir, a move observers say breached a United Nations arms embargo.
Strict anti-homosexuality legislation
Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, signed into law in May 2023, is among the world’s most restrictive. The legislation imposes severe penalties for same-sex relationships and for what authorities term the “promotion” of homosexuality, including a possible death sentence for so-called “aggravated homosexuality,” although capital punishment has not been carried out in recent years.
Human rights organisations have condemned the law, saying it entrenches discrimination. The World Bank suspended new lending in response, though it resumed financing in mid-2025, stating that safeguards had been introduced to reduce the risk of discrimination in its projects.
Oil-driven economic hopes
Agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy, with coffee its leading export, alongside refined gold and a growing tourism industry. Under Museveni, Uganda has recorded steady economic growth, exceeding six percent in 2024–2025, according to the World Bank.
Despite this progress, poverty remains widespread, with around 60 percent of Ugandans living on less than $3 a day. Critics point to repeated corruption scandals as a major drag on development.
The government is banking heavily on oil reserves discovered in the Lake Albert region in 2006. A $10 billion project led by France’s TotalEnergies and China’s CNOOC aims to export crude oil via a 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean port of Tanga. The project has drawn strong opposition from environmental groups but is expected to begin operations in June.
A youthful nation
Uganda’s demographic profile is striking. Of its estimated 51.4 million people in 2025, half are under the age of 18, while only about two percent are over 65. This youthful population presents both a potential economic dividend and a challenge in terms of job creation, education and service delivery.
Often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa,” Uganda boasts vast natural diversity, from rainforests and great lakes to snow-capped peaks. It is home to much of Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile River, and features globally significant природные sites such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which hosts about half of the world’s mountain gorillas.
An open-door refugee policy
Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, with the United Nations estimating about two million refugees in the country in 2025. Many have fled conflict in Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
While Uganda’s refugee policy has been praised internationally, aid agencies warn that the scale of displacement is straining public services and resources. The government has also faced allegations of inflating refugee numbers to secure additional international assistance.
As Ugandans vote, these dynamics underscore the complex realities facing a country balancing political continuity, social pressures and ambitious economic plans.
