President Yoweri Museveni will this evening take part in a youth-centered podcast from his country home in Rwakitura, a move widely seen as a counter-programming tactic against the televised NTV presidential debate scheduled for the same night.
The President’s team has confirmed that the Unstoppable Gen Z Presidential Conversation, hosted by the Sevo Café podcast, will begin at 7:40 PM, barely twenty minutes before the national debate kicks off at 8:00 PM.
Museveni, the ruling NRM’s presidential candidate for the 2026 elections, will skip the face-off with his challengers and instead engage young Ugandans on jobs, innovation, opportunities, and the future economy.
The decision comes days after the NRM formally notified organisers that the President would not participate in the debate. The party cited administrative and scheduling conflicts, saying the invitation arrived late on 21 November 2025, after the Electoral Commission had already approved the candidates’ official campaign programme. The NRM added that the debate was not part of that programme and had not been submitted for prior consideration.
Museveni’s absence leaves the stage open for opposition candidates, including NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, who has already confirmed his participation.
Still, analysts argue the move may be rooted in deeper tensions between State House and Nation Media Group (NMG), the parent company of NTV Uganda. For months, NMG journalists have reportedly been denied access to the President’s events, following what officials privately describe as a pattern of unfavourable reporting.
Tonight’s parallel broadcast sets up an unusual moment in Uganda’s political season. As opposition candidates debate live on national television, the incumbent will be speaking directly to the country’s youngest voters from a rural living room in Rwakitura.
Whether the move will split the audience or dominate the narrative remains to be seen. What is clear is that the battle for the Gen Z vote has officially taken centre stage.
( Campus bee)
