Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni is a man known for his off-the-cuff remarks, often delivered with a mix of laughter and awe in equal measure.

Recently, Museveni claimed that Uganda has a right to the Indian Ocean. He argued that Uganda is like a tenant on the first or upper floor of a multi-story building and is thus equally entitled to the ocean, which he referred to as the “ground floor” or shared compound.

Museveni, who came to power in 1986 and has remained in office for nearly 40 years, is seeking another term as the country heads to the polls this Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Here are some of his sentiments on the opposition candidate and National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, the decision by the country to shut down internet access, and other issues.

Here are his other controversial quotes.

“English is a poor language, they don’t have enough words” he stated while narrating how he used to walk his father’s cows during his youthful days in Uganda.

According to him, with the Buganda language having the precise word to describe the actual act of walking the cows through to either pasture or a specific place, he decried how English did not have an exact word or phrase for the activity.

On marriage

On the trend of young people not embracing marriage when they have come of age, President Museveni stated that it was un-African not to enter the marriage union. He wondered how a person could just decide against entering into marriage.

“The African people, once you grow, you get a wife. There is no question of saying I am just there, what are you doing?” he quizzed.

On his repugnance for couples of lovers displaying affection publicly, commonly known as PDA, and drunkards, he stated as follows:

“If I kiss my wife in public, I will lose all the elections in Uganda. Because Africans don’t show what is private in public, if you want to kiss you know where the address of kissing where it is,” he commented.

Drunkards

“Drunkards sit close to one another and speak with saliva coming out of their mouths. They are a danger to themselves,” he said.

On his past decision to shut down social media in Uganda, and the country’s activities going on normally.

“You remember the other group when facebook was shut down. We shut it up completely, and when I checked whether bananas are still producing bananas, they said they are still producing bananas.

“I thought bananas would not yield producing bananas if Facebook stopped. Then I checked the cows were the cows still milking the cows were still milking. I said, “How about the fish in the lake they said the fish are there also. So facebook, we can exist without facebook.”

Warning against protesting after polls

Museveni also cautioned Ugandans not to heed Kyagulanyi’s pleas to protest after the January 15, 2026, polls if the results are disputed.

“Don’t listen to [Robert] Kyagulanyi; his comments about our security lack foresight. His claim that there are not enough soldiers to match rioters is misguided. One soldier carries 120 bullets… do the math. Uganda cannot be destabilised, and anyone who attempts it will live to regret it” –  he said in Kisozi, December 17, 2025

His new directive banning the exportation of raw minerals from Uganda aims to promote value addition and boost the country’s economy.

“If you cannot process minerals from Uganda, leave them alone, and do not export them. Our children will use them in the future; let them stay in the ground,” he stated.