Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was officially sworn in for an unprecedented seventh term as President of Uganda on Thursday, cementing his position as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders in what critics call a tightening grip on power while supporters frame as stability.
The inauguration ceremony at Kololo Independence Ground in Kampala drew thousands of supporters, regional heads of state, and international delegations. The 81-year-old leader won re-election in January with a commanding majority, though opposition candidates and international observers noted significant irregularities in the electoral process.
Museveni first came to power in 1986 after a guerrilla war that ended years of civil strife, and has held the presidency continuously since then. His National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has governed Uganda without interruption for four decades, making him one of Africa’s most enduring political figures.
Supporters at the ceremony praised the President’s record of maintaining peace, hosting refugees from neighboring countries, and overseeing economic growth in the early 2000s. “Forty years of stability is not something to gamble away,” said one supporter who traveled from the eastern district of Tororo.
However, opposition politicians and human rights groups have increasingly criticized what they describe as an authoritarian drift. Several leading opposition figures were imprisoned during the campaign period, and the government shut down internet access on election day in January.
The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) rejected the election results, citing widespread fraud and the harassment of their candidates. Bobi Wine, the main opposition challenger who spent most of the campaign under house arrest, called the vote “a sham” and was absent from the inauguration ceremony.
Museveni’s extended rule has transformed Uganda’s political landscape, with critics pointing to the muzzling of independent media, the suspension of social media platforms, and the frequent use of treason charges against political rivals. The President’s supporters counter that his leadership has brought predictability and stability to a region that has seen significant conflict.
Regional analysts note that Museveni’s influence extends well beyond Uganda’s borders. He has played key diplomatic roles in South Sudan peace processes, the Somali security situation, and the management of the refugee crisis created by conflicts across the Horn of Africa. His pragmatic approach to geopolitics has made him an ally of both Western powers and Gulf states.
As Museveni begins his seventh term, questions about succession planning and democratic transition remain largely unanswered. The President has suggested he intends to complete this term, though political observers note that similar assurances were given before previous elections.
The international community has largely remained quiet on the democratic deficits, prioritizing Uganda’s role as a regional security partner and host of refugees from South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and other troubled nations. The United States and European Union have issued measured statements calling for inclusive governance but stopped short of any concrete measures.
For many Ugandans, the inauguration marked another milestone in a political journey that has spanned most of their lives. For a younger generation that has known no other president, the ceremony served as both a reminder of continuity and a question mark about the future of democratic participation in East Africa.