Lt. Gen. Tumukunde, several Ugandans hail Museveni's swearing-in

KAMPALA - Rukungiri Municipality MP-elect Lt Gen (rtd) Henry Tumukunde and other Ugandans have hailed President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony, which took place on Tuesday (May 12) at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Museveni, 81, was sworn in for a record seventh consecutive elective term following his landslide victory in the January 15, 2026, presidential elections, extending his 40 years in power.

In an interview with New Vision Online shortly after Museveni had renewed his oath of office, Tumukunde, a former Independent Presidential candidate, highlighted the tremendous progress the army, the Police and the Prisons have made over the years.

“We have been progressing every time, and this event (swearing-in ceremony) was very well organised and very well attended, which means our diplomacy is very functional. There is also the fact that the army, [and the other] forces, have really progressed tremendously. If you see the Prisons, you will see that there is such a standard achievement among our forces, and we thank the forces commanders for this very good job,” he said.

He noted that in his speech, Museveni raised very fundamental issues about why Uganda has reached where it is and what it needs to go forward.

“The President also called on Ugandans not to be satisfied with what they have. I am convinced most leaders who came out of here must have learnt from him on how he is trying to solve Uganda’s problems,” the former bush war fighter said.

He noted that as a country, Uganda has never exploited its minerals like DR Congo. “We have never done so much in tapping our natural resources except now the oil and gas but we are still doing very well by using the most basic human skills and organisation,” he said.

He noted that Uganda would have been very far in terms of development if they had been able to tap into the country’s natural resources, such as uranium and gold.
Tumukunde said the new Government must give special attention to the country’s human resources.

“We have educated very many children who are here in town struggling. I think the Government should develop a policy that will direct them (young people) to contribute to the public good and be engaged,” he stated.

Elison Karuhanga, a partner with Kampala Associated Advocates, said it was a fantastic event.

“I think it is one of the most well-organised inaugurations and I salute the team that was behind it. It was powerful, profound, and it put our country in a very good light. The President has been clear [in his speech] that this term he means business, and so I wish him all the best. I know that if he succeeds, the country too shall succeed,” he said.

Hajjat Faridah Kibowa, the national chairperson of the Women's Council Uganda, also said the event had been successful.

“Mzee (Museveni) has been very specific. He is still focusing on wealth creation—getting household income. He wants people to have money in their pockets. This is now his agenda. For us as women, we did research and found that one of the causes of domestic violence in families is poverty. So, if we get rid of poverty, we can have peaceful families, and a peaceful family means a peaceful village and a peaceful village means a peaceful Uganda,” she said.

Dr Florence Asiimwe Akiiki, the Masindi Woman MP on the ruling party ticket, also hailed the organisers of the event.

“The event has been a very nice occasion and very well organised, with so many dignitaries across the globe. In his speech, the President has said this is a term of no more sleep because all the opportunities have been provided and the peace is here,” she said.

 “And we also have the Microfinance Centre where people can borrow money at a low interest rate, other than going to the moneylenders. So, the president has tried. Every term he talks about poverty, and there is no reason why someone should be poor,” the MP added.