President Museveni Endorses Olara Otunnu for UN Secretary-General

President Yoweri Museveni formally presented Ambassador Olara Otunnu as Uganda's candidate for United Nations Secretary-General during a meeting with diplomats from UN Security Council member states at State House Entebbe on August 3, 2026. Museveni cited Uganda's contributions to regional security and refugee policy as credentials supporting the bid, describing Otunnu as having the experience and integrity to lead the organization.

The endorsement comes after a first informal straw poll in which Otunnu placed seventh among seven candidates, receiving only two votes. Olara Otunnu and Adonia Ayebare attributed the poor result to a late start in diplomatic campaigning. Otunnu has since promoted a manifesto focused on conflict prevention, institutional reform, and global cooperation on artificial intelligence.

Despite the formal backing, Otunnu acknowledged persistent ideological disagreements between himself and the president, characterizing the nomination as a project of national maturity. To secure broader international support, Museveni appointed former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to lead a diplomatic delegation to world capitals. Adonia Ayebare indicated the team expects travel clearance by the end of the week to begin engaging member states in New York.