‘Time to Harvest’: Muntu Says Uganda Ready for Change in 2026

General Mugisha Gregory Muntu, leader of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), was on Wednesday officially nominated to contest in the 2026 presidential elections.

Gen. Mugisha Muntu was nominated by Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, at the EC headquarters in Lubowa. He secured his nomination after fulfilling all requirements for a presidential candidate, including collecting the required signatures and paying the nomination fee of UGX 20 million.

In his first address after nomination, Muntu stressed the need for a peaceful transition of power, rebuilding broken institutions, and putting citizens at the center of governance.

Speaking to supporters, Gen. Muntu said the ANT party had endured challenges but was now firmly in the race.

“As a party, we have gone through some hurdles, but that is now water under the bridge. We are now candidates, I and all the supporters of the Alliance for National Transformation,” he said.

He thanked Ugandans who rallied behind his candidacy by providing nomination signatures, noting that support came not only from ANT members but also from citizens across the political spectrum.

“The beauty of it all was that we weren’t getting signatures just from members of the party, but also from many other Ugandans who belong to other parties. They recognize ANT as a party that is focused on building and rebuilding institutions that have been broken down, and on creating systems that actually deliver services,” Muntu added.

Reflecting on Uganda’s 63 years of independence, Muntu criticized what he described as a cycle of stagnation caused by irresponsible political leadership.

“A country at 63 should not be operating as if we are still in the infant stages. We are stuck in a vicious cycle. For 63 years, it’s the same problems, the same promises, and the same failures,” he said.

Muntu called out what he termed as inconsistencies between political rhetoric and practice, saying that Uganda’s abundant natural resources and fertile land should have translated into prosperity.

“There is absolutely no reason why a country like Uganda, blessed with fertile soil, fresh water bodies, and even rare earth minerals, should still face poverty in many parts of the country. That is a reflection of ineptness and sheer irresponsibility on the part of the political class,” he argued.

Adding, “We don’t find any commercial agricultural education, other than the big plantations of sugar and ginger. That’s a reflection of the ineptness or sheer irresponsibility on behalf of the political class in this country. Because when I talk about this, I’m not only talking about the current regime.”

He criticized the ruling NRM government, led by President Yoweri Museveni, for failing to deliver on promises despite decades in power.

“I would like to ask Ugandans to retire Gen. Museveni this time around, in a peaceful way, because we cannot take this country any further down the road we are on. Every moment we stay in office under the current system, Uganda sinks deeper,” Muntu said.

“It is not about GDP. However much an economy grows, if the very population it is meant to serve is broken, that growth becomes meaningless. We have seen countries with better roads than ours, more kilometers of tarmac, greater power generation capacity, better cities, reliable water systems, stronger education, and impressive earnings, and yet they collapsed. When leaders focus only on what can be seen, the infrastructure, and neglect the people those systems are meant to serve, they are moving in the wrong direction,” Muntu explained.

He also condemned what he described as impunity within state institutions, warning that unchecked corruption and political manipulation continue to erode public trust.

“When a citizen cannot rely on the police to investigate without asking for a bribe, or on the courts to deliver justice transparently, then impunity reigns. That is what has destroyed governments in the past, and that is what is destroying Uganda today,” he said.

Muntu emphasized that his candidacy represents a commitment to institutional reform and citizen-focused governance.

“We don’t look at infrastructure as the primary factor of development. We look first and foremost at the human being, the citizen. Because without restoring dignity, justice, and fairness to the citizen, roads, bridges, and power dams will mean nothing,” he stated.

The ANT flag bearer urged Ugandans to seize this election as an opportunity to redirect the country toward a more just and accountable future. He was escorted by senior members of the party, including Hon. Alice Alaso and Hon. Winnie Kiiza.