Yoweri Museveni Sworn In For Another Five-Year Term In Kampala
Image: TVC News

Yoweri Museveni Sworn In For Another Five-Year Term In Kampala

12 May, 2026.Africa.16 sources

Key Takeaways

  • Museveni sworn in for a seventh five-year term as Uganda president.
  • Regional leaders, senior officials, diplomats attended the Kampala inauguration.
  • Election results show Museveni won about 71.65% of valid votes; Bobi Wine around 24%.

Museveni sworn in again

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was sworn in for another five-year term on Tuesday at Kololo grounds in Kampala, extending a presidency that has lasted nearly four decades since he assumed power in 1986.

The first indications from the Ugandan presidential election confirm a clear lead by the incumbent president, Yoweri Museveni

AfrikAfrik

TVC News said the ceremony drew thousands and included a large military parade supervised by Museveni’s son and army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, with Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets flying over the venue.

Image from allAfrica
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The inauguration followed Uganda’s 2026 presidential election, which TVC News said the Electoral Commission declared after Museveni secured more than 7.9 million votes, and Chairperson Simon Byabakama announced Museveni surpassed the constitutional threshold requiring more than 50 per cent of valid votes cast.

Capital FM Kenya reported that security was heightened across Kampala ahead of the swearing-in, with authorities deploying personnel to manage crowds and ensure smooth proceedings during the ceremony.

Regional presence and pledges

Capital FM Kenya said the ceremony drew regional leaders, senior government officials, diplomats, and dignitaries from across Africa, underscoring Uganda’s strategic role in regional affairs.

The allAfrica report said Rwanda’s Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva arrived in Uganda to represent President Paul Kagame at the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Tuesday at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Image from Capital FM Kenya
Capital FM KenyaCapital FM Kenya

Capital FM Kenya reported that Museveni pledged to continue advancing Uganda’s development agenda, strengthen regional cooperation, and promote economic growth and stability.

In a statement carried by The Standard, former President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed his arrival in Kampala to join fellow leaders, government officials and dignitaries for the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Opposition, scrutiny, and stakes

Le Monde reported that African observers denounced a climate of intimidation ahead of the presidential election, and said the vote was proclaimed Saturday, January 17, with Museveni winning a seventh consecutive term.

Rwanda's Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva has arrived in Uganda to represent President Paul Kagame at the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, scheduled for Tuesday at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala

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Le Monde said the main opponent was former singer Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, and it reported that the Electoral Commission chair Simon Mugenyi Byabakama announced Museveni won 71.65% of the vote against 24.72% for Bobi Wine.

Afrik reported that Bobi Wine denounced the electoral process as tainted by major irregularities, saying the poll was marked by fraudulent practices and that biometric voter verification machines disrupted voting in many constituencies.

Tchadinfos said Museveni, speaking from his home district of Kiruhura in western Uganda, pledged to prioritize wealth creation, poverty eradication, the improvement of public services, and the fight against corruption, while warning against election-related violence and any foreign interference.

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