KAMPALA — Former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has said he has no intention of running for President in 2026 and dismissed reports suggesting he should do so.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Dr. Rugunda said he had read social media postings and suggestions that he should run for President in 2026.
“I have read social media postings and suggestions that I should run for President in 2026. I would like to make it known that I have no such intentions or plans,” said Dr. Rugunda who served as Prime Minister from 2014 to 2021.
President Museveni recently appointed him as special envoy for special duties in the Office of the President, replacing him with Kakumiro District Woman MP, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, as the new Prime Minister.
Dr. Rugunda previously served as Minister of Health and also held several other ministerial positions, including as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Information Communications Technology, Water and Environment, Information, Works, Transport and Communications, and Minister for the Presidency.
From January 2009 to 2011, Dr. Ruhakana was Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, when the country held a seat at the United Nations Security Council.
He held this position at a Ministerial level.
Dr Rugunda has led many Government initiatives, the Government of Uganda delegation to the Juba-based Peace Talks between the Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from July 2006 to January 2009.
From 1989 to 2001 he represented Kabale Municipality as a Member of Parliament.
He attended Kigezi High school and Busoga College Mwiri, before joining Makerere University and later the University of Zambia where he graduated as a Medical Doctor in 1975.
He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health specializing in Maternal and Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley, USA (1978).
He also studied Pediatrics at the University of Nairobi (1982-1984). He started his Medical career in Zambia as a Physician, worked at Washington DC General Hospital as a resident physician, and at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
Rugunda was keenly involved in student activities and held responsibilities as President of African Students Union, University of California, Berkeley (1977-1978); President of National Union of Students of Uganda (1970-1971) while at Makerere University, and President, Kigezi United Youth Association (KUYA).
Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda is married to Joselyn Rugunda with four children.
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