Over 30 foreign delegations, heads of state to attend President Museveni’s inauguration

KAMPALA - At least 30 foreign delegations and several heads of state are expected to attend the inauguration of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to be held at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala on May 12, 2026.

Several liberation movements and political parties from across Africa and beyond have already confirmed participation.

On Tuesday, May 05, Minister for the Presidency and member of parliament elect for Budiope West, Milly Babirye Babalanda and the  NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong disclosed that several fraternal parties, such as South Africa’s ANC, Mozambique’s FRELIMO, Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF, Tanzania’s CCM, and Rwanda’s RPF will be represented, among others.

Public holiday

Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Center Todwong also revealed that Government has declared May 12 a public holiday to allow citizens full participation in the celebrations and to honour the inauguration activities.

He framed the ceremony as both a political milestone and a celebration of NRM’s electoral dominance, noting that the party secured 71.65 percent of the presidential vote and a commanding majority in Parliament, with 372 out of 529 Members of Parliament elected under its banner.

Todwong said the NRM’s victory extends beyond the presidency and reflects broad-based support at local government levels.

Minister Babalanda outlined detailed preparations for the ceremony and described the inauguration as the formal commencement of a new five-year presidential term, in line with constitutional provisions. (Credit: Nancy Nanyonga)

He also said the party won the majority of district chairperson seats, LC3 positions, and councillorships nationwide, underscoring what he described as a victory at all levels of elected leadership.

“This is not just about inaugurating the president. It is about celebrating a comprehensive political victory for the NRM and the Ugandan people who entrusted us with leadership,” he said.

Minister Babalanda outlined detailed preparations for the ceremony and described the inauguration as the formal commencement of a new five-year presidential term, in line with constitutional provisions.

“The ceremony marks the continuation of a stable democratic tradition where Ugandans periodically elect their leaders,” Babalanda said, pointing to more than three decades of uninterrupted elections since 1996.

Babalanda noted that the 2026 elections once again reaffirmed public confidence in the NRM’s ideological principles of democracy, patriotism, Pan-Africanism, and socio-economic transformation.

She also highlighted key achievements under NRM leadership over the past four decades, including sustained peace and security, economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and significant reductions in poverty levels.

According to her, poverty declined from 56.4 percent in 1992 to 16.1 percent in 2024, while Uganda’s economy nearly doubled in size over the past five years despite global shocks.

She further revealed that Uganda recently met the criteria for graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries, signalling progress toward middle-income status.

The theme for the 2026 inauguration, “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status”, she said, captures the government’s focus on consolidating past achievements while accelerating economic transformation.

Preparations for the event are being spearheaded by a National Organising Committee comprising representatives from various government institutions and the NRM Secretariat.

Babalanda said security agencies, including the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, and specialised units, have heightened security measures across Kampala and the country to ensure a safe and orderly ceremony.