Museveni sworn in for seventh term as Uganda’s long-serving president enters uncharted waters
Yoweri Museveni was sworn in for a seventh consecutive term as President of Uganda on May 12, 2026, extending his tenure as one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers to a fifth decade. The 81-year-old leader won January’s elections by a landslide — officially more than 70 percent of the vote — in a poll that was marred by allegations of fraud, a security crackdown on the opposition, and widespread criticism from international rights groups.
The inauguration ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala drew thousands of supporters, African heads of state, and heavy security deployment including armoured tanks on the capital’s streets. The government declared the day a public holiday. Museveni, in a white hat and open-top vehicle, saluted the crowd as he arrived — an image that has become familiar across four decades of rule.
“No More Sleep” — A President Promises a Final Push
In his inaugural address, Museveni told the assembled crowd that his new five-year term should be seen as a time for urgency. “No more sleep for all Ugandans,” he said, urging citizens to focus on wealth creation, job generation, and building on the peace and infrastructure progress achieved since he first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986. “We must protect what has been achieved, correct what still needs improvement and move forward together as one country,” he added.
The president pointed to Uganda’s upcoming crude oil production as the engine that would drive economic growth and poverty alleviation during this term. The oil sector has been a long-promised source of transformative revenue, though development has faced repeated delays and disputes over pipeline routing.
Museveni was declared the winner of January’s election with a margin that opponents immediately disputed. His main rival, pop star turned politician Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform, rejected the result, alleging systematic ballot-stuffing. Election officials denied the accusations. Bobi Wine subsequently fled the country, saying he feared for his life and accusing the regime of wanting to “eliminate” him. He has since been living abroad.
The Succession Question and a Son in Waiting
For analysts, this is likely to be Museveni’s last term. At 81, with his son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba — the army chief — widely seen as the designated successor, Uganda is entering a period when the question of political transition is no longer theoretical. Kainerugaba has increasingly presented himself as a future leader, though his social media conduct has drawn sharp criticism, including posts threatening violence against opposition figures that were later removed from public view.
Amnesty International released a report documenting at least 16 deaths at the hands of military and police between January 15 and 18, describing the victims as unarmed people who posed no imminent threat. The human rights organization has also been vocal in its criticism of the continued imprisonment of another opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, who was dramatically abducted from Kenya in late 2024 and forcibly returned to Uganda, then charged in a military court.
The government has rejected international criticism, insisting the elections were free and fair and that security forces acted only to maintain public order. Last week, parliament passed a Sovereignty Bill that criminalizes actions seen as promoting the interests of foreign powers over Uganda’s — a law that critics say could be used to silence dissent and further restrict civil society.
A Continent’s Longest-Reigning Leaders
Museveni joins a small group of African leaders who have held power for more than 40 years: Congo-Brazzaville’s Denis Sassou Nguesso, Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang, and Cameroon’s Paul Biya. Uganda’s population is one of the world’s youngest, meaning a majority of citizens have known no other president. That generational shift — and what it means when Museveni eventually leaves — is a question that increasingly preoccupies Uganda’s political class and its international partners alike.
Among the African leaders who attended Tuesday’s ceremony were Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi, South Sudan’s Salva Kiir, and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Their presence reflected both solidarity with a fellow head of state and — observers suggested — quiet concern about the trajectory of a nation that remains strategically vital in East Africa.