Uganda: Five things to know as elections are held

Uganda is holding elections with President Yoweri Museveni seeking a seventh term, and about half the population is under 18.

Uganda is holding national elections as President Yoweri Museveni seeks a seventh term after leading since 1986. The vote comes amid a young population profile and plans to begin exporting oil. The country remains engaged in regional military deployments and hosts a large refugee population. Domestic changes, including the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, have drawn international responses. Key facts: - President Yoweri Museveni is seeking a seventh term after around 40 years in power, and national elections are underway. - About half of Uganda's population was under 18 in 2025, according to the World Bank. - The Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed in May 2023; Human Rights Watch described it as institutionalising homophobia, and the World Bank temporarily suspended new loans before resuming lending in June 2025 with measures to address discrimination risks. - Uganda discovered major oil reserves in the Lake Albert region in 2006 and plans a $10 billion export project with France's TotalEnergies and China's CNOOC; a 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline is reported as due to start carrying crude to the Tanzanian port of Tanga in June. - Uganda hosted an estimated two million refugees in 2025, and the government has both provided hosting and faced allegations about inflating figures for aid. Summary: The outcome of the election will affect Uganda's domestic policies and regional role and intersects with economic expectations tied to planned oil exports. International responses to recent laws and governance issues are part of the broader context. Undetermined at this time.