President Museveni and Bobi Wine Deliver Contrasting Christmas Messages Amid Election Season

As Ugandans celebrated Christmas Day across the country, key political figures — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine — used the occasion to send distinct messages to citizens, reflecting their differing visions for the nation just weeks ahead of the January 15, 2026 general election.

In his Christmas message to Ugandans, President Museveni painted a picture of a nation at peace and making tangible progress in key economic sectors. Posting on his official social media channels, Museveni expressed gratitude that the country could observe the birth of Christ in a climate of relative calm and stability. He highlighted successes in agricultural output and industrial production, noting that markets and shops were well stocked — signs, he said, of a productive and growing economy. Museveni also invoked broader goals for the nation and the continent, urging citizens to pray for peace across Africa and encouraging deeper economic and political integration to expand markets and enhance strategic security for the region.

Acknowledging persistent challenges, the President did not shy away from issues such as poverty and corruption. He acknowledged that roughly 30 percent of Ugandans remain outside the money economy and reiterated his government’s commitment to empowering them through programmes like the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and other community‑based interventions. Museveni emphasised that corruption remains a problem primarily where accountability systems are weak, underscoring the need for civic vigilance and reporting to stamp out graft. The President concluded by wishing all Ugandans a Merry Christmas and a prosperous, peaceful New Year.

Meanwhile, at St. Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga, Bobi Wine used his Christmas message to call attention to human rights, compassion, and the plight of political prisoners. Addressing worshippers during Christmas celebrations, Kyagulanyi urged Ugandans to remember those he described as unjustly detained. He asked the faithful to pray not only for freedom for political prisoners but also for softened hearts among those holding them, so they might be released to rejoin their families.

Bobi Wine also reflected on a cultural shift in how Christmas is observed, lamenting the erosion of its spiritual meaning. He called on communities to move beyond materialistic celebrations — such as buying new clothes and attending parties — and instead focus on the core message of Christ’s birth: renewal, compassion, and self‑reflection.

His remarks come as the opposition continues to decry arrests, disruptions and what it calls political repression, underscoring deep divisions as the campaign season nears its climax.

Together, the Christmas messages from the presidency and the opposition offer Ugandans contrasting frames of hope this festive season — one rooted in continuity and economic narrative, and the other grounded in human rights, spiritual renewal, and social justice.