Museveni Set for Seventh Term Swearing-In as Uganda Extends His Four-Decade Rule

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will be sworn in on Tuesday for a seventh term in office, extending a presidency that has lasted nearly 40 years and further cementing his position as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

According to a memo issued on May 8 by the Uganda Media Centre, the 81-year-old leader will officially begin a new five-year term covering 2026 to 2031. The Ugandan government has also declared Tuesday a public holiday to mark the inauguration.

Museveni secured victory in Uganda’s January presidential election with 71.65% of the vote, defeating opposition leader Bobi Wine, who garnered 24.72%.

The inauguration will mark another milestone in Museveni’s remarkable political journey. He first assumed office in 1986 after leading a guerrilla movement that overthrew the government of then-President Tito Okello.

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Since taking power, Museveni has transformed Uganda’s political landscape, overseeing constitutional changes that removed both presidential term limits and age restrictions, reforms that cleared the path for him to remain in office well into his eighties.

Supporters credit his administration with maintaining relative stability and advancing economic reforms over the decades. Critics, however, argue that his prolonged rule has weakened democratic institutions and narrowed political space for opposition voices.

The upcoming swearing-in is expected to attract regional leaders and dignitaries from across Africa, as Uganda prepares to usher in another chapter under a president who has dominated the country’s politics for two generations.

With his new mandate, Museveni will continue steering East Africa’s fourth-largest economy amid growing scrutiny over governance, youth unemployment and democratic accountability.

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