NRM Liberation Day in 2025

When is NRM Liberation Day?

NRM Liberation Day is a national holiday in Uganda observed on January 26th each year.

Also commonly known as National Liberation Day, the holiday marks the overthrow of the previous government by the National Resistance Movement on this day in 1986.

NRM Liberation Day

Having been a British Protectorate since 1894, Uganda gained its independence in October 1962. It became a republic a year later, which unfortunately heralded a turbulent period in the nation's history including the infamous eight-year regime of the dictator Idi Amin.

When Amin was replaced by President Obote in 1981, a former Military Commission member, Yoweri Museveni, formed the National Resistance Army (NRA) with the aim of toppling the government. The NRA didn't get to do this as Obote was overthrown in a military coup in 1985. This was a desperate act by the army as they proved no match for the NRA rebels who took Kampala and installed Yoweri Museveni as president on January 26th 1986.

Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM) have ruled Uganda ever since, with Museveni winning a fifth term as president in 2016.

Yoweri Museveni is one of Africa's longest-ruling presidents. In 2005 presidential term limits were removed, and in 2017 the removal of the previous upper age limit of 75 was also announced, both changes paving the way for Museveni to continue to serve as President.