All eyes on Kololo as Uganda prepares for Museveni inauguration

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On May 12, Kololo Independence Grounds will once again become the stage on which state power is formalised, as President Yoweri Museveni is sworn in for another term. However, long before the oath is taken, the government machinery is already in motion.

Across ministries, security agencies and diplomatic channels, a carefully coordinated effort is unfolding. Invitations have been dispatched to foreign delegations, security tightened across the city, and a national organising committee is working behind the scenes to plan every detail, from protocol to public messaging.

The ceremony, which will mark the beginning of a new five-year term, will run from 8:00am to 2:00pm.

In a press statement issued at the Uganda Media Centre, Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda framed the event as both constitutional and historic.

“The swearing-in and inauguration ceremonies of the President Elect of the Republic of Uganda 2026–2031… will take place on May 12, 2026,” she said.

At the centre of preparations is the National Organising Committee, led by the Secretary in the Office of the President, Haji Yunus Kakande. The committee draws members from across government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the ruling National Resistance Movement secretariat.

Oversight rests with a high-level strategic team of permanent secretaries chaired by Head of Public Service Lucy Nakyobe, signalling that this is not simply ceremonial planning, but a coordinated state effort.

The theme of the day is “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.”

Diplomatically, the event is also expected to draw significant international attention. According to the statement, at least 30 foreign delegations have confirmed attendance, alongside 15 delegations from revolutionary parties across the world.

Locally, invitations have been extended widely, from Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament to diplomats, religious leaders, cultural figures and ordinary citizens. “All Ugandans from all walks of life are welcome,” Babalanda said, reinforcing the image of a national rather than a purely political event.

Security preparations are equally extensive. Authorities have heightened security across the Kampala metropolitan area and beyond, with the Uganda Police Force leading the effort, supported by specialised units including the Anti-Terrorism Unit, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and the Special Forces Command.

Public communication has also been prioritised. The government has launched a nationwide publicity campaign using radio, television and social media, while digital screens across Kampala will broadcast the ceremony for those unable to attend in person.

Live coverage is expected across multiple media platforms, with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation and several private stations confirmed for the day.

In the lead-up to the event, a series of national activities is underway. These include the presentation of the NRM’s end-of-term manifesto evaluation and nationwide thanksgiving prayers scheduled across mosques and churches from May 8 to May 10.

Behind the ceremony lies a constitutional requirement. Uganda’s laws mandate that a president-elect must take the oath of office within 24 hours of the expiry of the incumbent’s term, a formal step that transforms electoral victory into legal authority.