Who has so far jetted in for Museveni swearing-in?

A number of heads of state and representatives of different countries were, by press time last evening, already in Uganda to attend the swearing-in of President-elect Yoweri Museveni, for his seventh elective term as the president.

Museveni, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since capturing power in 1986, will have ruled for 45 years by the end of his seventh term in 2031, making him one of the longest-serving presidents in Africa. He joins Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, in power for over 46 years since August 1979, and Cameroon’s Paul Biya of over 43 years.

Museveni won the January 15 presidential election with 7,946,772 votes representing 71.6% of the votes cast, according to the Electoral Commission. He beat seven others, including his closest challenger, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who got 2,741,238 votes, and Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), who came third with 209,039 votes.

The other five candidates who unsuccessfully challenged Museveni included Gen (Rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu (Alliance for National Transformation), Frank Bulira (Revolutionary People’s Party), Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party), Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party), and Joseph Mabirizi (Conservative Party) – combined received fewer votes than the 275,353 invalid ones.

By press time Monday evening, at least three presidents and representatives of four other countries had already jetted into the country to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

“Uganda extends a warm welcome to H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, upon his arrival for the Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony scheduled for 12 May 2026,” a post by the statehouse press unit on the official X handle of the statehouse reads in part.

Uganda has had a friendly relationship with South Sudan, even when it was still part of Sudan, supporting the rebellion that eventually carved South Sudan out of Sudan. Kiir was received by President Museveni at the statehouse, who said the presence of his South Sudan counterpart is a testimony of the friendship the two countries share.

“His presence underscores the enduring bonds of friendship, shared liberation history, and the steadily growing strategic partnership between Uganda and South Sudan. It further reflects a mutual commitment to regional peace, stability, and economic cooperation within the East African Community framework. Uganda remains honoured to host distinguished regional leaders at this important national and diplomatic occasion,” he said.

Also among those who jetted in Monday are the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, that of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Azouz Nasri, President of the Council of the Nation of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, who led a 10-member delegation, representing Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

Taye Atske Selassie, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, had also jetted into the country together with Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, by press time, while several others were expected in.

Also in is the are Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr. Yazkuli Mammedov, Head of the Middle East and African Countries Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and Mr. Nicholas Checker, Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs, who led a delegation of senior diplomats representing President Donald Trump of the US.

“At State House Entebbe, I met Mr. Nick Checker, the Senior Bureau Official in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, who is representing President Donald Trump at tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony, together with his delegation,” Museveni on Monday posted on his official X handle. 

Museveni said he had fruitful talks with Mr Checker on the need for value addition and push for industrialization in Uganda.

“I emphasized the need for value addition and industrialisation across Africa. We cannot continue exporting raw materials such as coffee, oil, and minerals without processing them. Value addition is crucial for expanding Africa’s GDP, creating jobs and increasing the purchasing power of our people. I welcome him to Uganda and wish him a fruitful stay,” he said.

Who else is expected to attend?
At the ruling NRM party secretariat at Kyadondo road at Nakasero, it has been a beehive of activities, with party officials on their toes for much of the weeks leading up to the swearing-in. Richard Todwong, the party’s Secretary General, said invitations have been extended far and wide.

“NRM has invited numerous fraternal political parties from across Africa and beyond, many of which have already confirmed participation. These include South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC), Mozambique’s FRELIMO, Tanzania’s CCM, Rwanda’s RPF-Inkotanyi, Burundi’s CNDD-FDD, Kenya’s UDA, South Sudan’s SPLM, as well as China’s Communist Party and other liberation movements,” he said.

Russia, according to the NRM secretariat, is also expected to send a senior delegation of government officials to attend the swearing-in ceremony and inauguration.

Locally, the party has invited the Cabinet ministers, the Members of the 11th, the incoming members of (12th Parliament, civil servants, Uganda’s ambassadors serving the different stations across the world, the NRM, heads of the different structures across the country, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Uganda, religious leaders, traditional and cultural leaders, and all Ugandans from all walks of life.

Todwong also said an olive branch had been extended to the opposition political parties in the country, through the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), though a number of opposition parties have already rejected the invitation.

“When you invite a political party, you don’t invite like you are inviting an individual; it goes through a process. So, under the IPOD umbrella, definitely, we are inviting political parties that have representation in Parliament,” Mr Todwong explained.

However, FDC President, Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat, and Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) coordinator, Ms Alice Alaso, earlier on rejected the idea and said they will boycott the swearing-in ceremony.

They both cited alleged intimidation of voters, disappearance of polling agents on Election Day, and militarisation of the electoral process, among other concerns, saying they will not attend an “illegitimate” ceremony.
 However, Mr Todwong said they are open and ready to work with anybody who is willing to come and join hands with them, but as to whether they will come or not, it is upon them, but the invitations will go out.

“We have about 35 heads of state and heads of government that have confirmed attending, and expect close to 30,000 and 40,000 people at Kololo, and this includes national and international guests. We need to cater to them,” he said.