Museveni proposes law to recall non-performing leaders

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flagbearer for the 2026 general elections, has proposed the enactment of a law that would allow citizens to recall non-performing leaders from office before the end of their term.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Mpigi District recently, President Museveni said the proposed “right to recall” would empower voters to remove elected leaders who fail to deliver on their mandates.

“Now I have a suggestion. There is what we call the ‘right to recall,’ where you recall an elected leader before the end of their term in office. If a leader fails to deliver results, we recall him or her,” President Museveni said. “We can enact it into the Constitution because such a provision existed during the time of the National Resistance Council (NRC).”

The President, who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, said similar proposals had been discussed during the Constituent Assembly but were never adopted into law.

His remarks followed reports of absenteeism among opposition politicians holding leadership positions in Mpigi District.

According to President Museveni, the NRM government has already empowered citizens through democratic processes, but many fail to hold their leaders accountable after elections.

“The NRM government gave you powers to fight for yourselves, but you don’t use them. You elect LC I, LC III, LC V leaders and Members of Parliament, but once they assume power, they forget about you,” he said.

He added that the recall mechanism could provide an alternative to waiting for the full five-year electoral cycle.

“We can discuss it. Instead of waiting for five years, citizens can use the law to recall a leader who fails to deliver even before the term expires,” he said.

However, President Museveni noted that even before such a law is enacted, citizens already have the authority to report non-performing leaders to relevant institutions.

“You report them and see what I will do to them,” he warned, adding that he would hold further discussions with the youth in the area.

The President also blamed voters for electing what he described as ideologically disoriented opposition politicians who later fail to effectively deliver services.

In addition, he urged residents of Mpigi to take advantage of existing land laws to protect their tenure and pledged to fast-track compensation funds for landlords.

President Museveni reiterated that the NRM government, at its inception, clearly defined land rights for both tenants and landlords to avoid disputes and promote security of tenure.