Japan to send special envoy for Museveni inauguration

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Japan will dispatch a special envoy to attend the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni scheduled for next Tuesday (May 12), in a move signaling deepening diplomatic ties between Kampala and Tokyo.

The ceremony will take place at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in the capital Kampala, as Museveni gets set to start a sixth term at the helm after convincingly winning an eight-strong presidential race in January.

Japan’s Ambassador to Uganda, Sasayama Takuya, confirmed that the envoy will represent the Japanese government at the ceremony, underscoring a strong and growing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The announcement was made during a joint press briefing attended by the UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Leonard Zulu, and the Assistant Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, Douglas Asiimwe, on Thursday.

Amb. Sasayama said Japan remains committed to strengthening cooperation with Uganda through humanitarian assistance, infrastructure development and diplomatic engagement.

The envoy also announced a fresh Japanese contribution of approximately $6 million (about sh22.5 billion) under the 2025–2026 Supplementary Budget to support Uganda’s refugee response and development programmes.

The funding will be channelled through UN agencies, including United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UN Women to support refugee protection, education, livelihoods and food security.

Uganda currently hosts more than 1.9 million refugees, one of the largest refugee populations in the world.

Beyond humanitarian support, Japan also reaffirmed its commitment to Uganda’s infrastructure modernisation agenda, highlighting the planned construction of the new Karuma Bridge and the upcoming second phase of the Kampala Flyover project.

The Ambassador said work on Kampala Flyover Lot Two would begin soon, following the completion of the Clock Tower phase, which has eased traffic congestion in parts of the capital.

The announcement follows a recent African tour by Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, reflecting Tokyo’s growing strategic interest in partnerships across the continent.

During the briefing, Ambassador Sasayama also urged the public and media to guard against misinformation and rely on verified information in an increasingly complex global environment.

“We should not be swayed away by unfounded narratives,” he said.