With the general elections scheduled for this Thursday approaching, Uganda is holding its breath. This Tuesday, January 13, marks the official end of a highly charged campaign, in which the incumbent president, Yoweri Museveni , and his main opponent, Bobi Wine , have thrown their last reserves into the battle.

Museveni: A bet on stability and experience

Seeking a seventh term at the age of 81, Yoweri Museveni chose the western district of Kasese to rally his supporters on Monday. Facing a sea of yellow—the color of the National Resistance Movement (NRM)—the head of state, in power since 1986, focused his speech on two pillars: peace and development.

1. Rejection of sectarianism: The president touted the creation of strong national institutions (army, police), claiming to have put an end to ethnic and religious divisions.
2. The record versus the promises: "What the NRM is telling you is not pretty stories, it is visible facts," he declared, urging voters to "protect the gains" in the face of the uncertainties of the change of government.

Bobi Wine: Resistance in a bulletproof vest

In the capital Kampala, the atmosphere was considerably more tense for Bobi Wine. The former singer turned opposition leader had to contend with logistical obstacles: one of his two planned rallies was cancelled, with the opposition figure denouncing police intervention.

It was finally in the Aga Khan district, wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest , that Bobi Wine addressed a tightly packed crowd. His message was a rallying cry against the regime's longevity:

1. National unity: He called on his supporters, young and old, to remain united despite intimidation.
2. Denunciation of chaos: For him, the unity of the people has become the obsession of a power that he considers authoritarian and violent.

An election under surveillance

As the campaign draws to a close tonight in Kampala, Thursday's stakes go beyond simply choosing a name. It's a generational and ideological duel between the old guard, veterans of the 1986 guerrilla war, and an urban youth eager for change.