OPPOSITION SHUN MUSEVENI’S SWEARING-IN FETE, WARN OF TOUGHER TIMES AHEAD

DAILY MONITOR

Uganda’s major opposition political parties have said they will not attend President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, despite receiving official invitations.

President Museveni will be sworn in at a historic event in Kololo to serve his seventh term of office.

But the leaders said attending such a ceremony would be tantamount to legitimising what they described as a disputed and fraudulent electoral victory.

They claim Museveni did not genuinely win the January 15 election and warned that his continued rule will deepen Ugandans’ suffering through controversial policies such as the recently passed Sovereignty Bill, increased government expenditure and growing authoritarianism.

Sharing with the Monitor on Monday the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, Mr Patrick Oboi Amuriat, said they are shunning President Museveni’s swearing-in, as this would legitimise a disputed election outcome.

Mr Amuriat said they will instead attend the presidential swearing-in of their Members of Parliament, noting that opposition legislators had secured victory despite a difficult political environment.

“We cannot participate in what is clearly window dressing intended to portray the ruling government as democratic before the international community,” Mr Amuriat said.

“We are not going to be part of a celebration because there is really nothing to celebrate in a win that has been forced on the people of Uganda,” he added.

The Electoral Commission in February this year declared President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the winner of a presidential election likely to extend his rule to nearly half a century in a vote marred by biometric machine failures and a nationwide internet blackout.

He secured a seventh five-year term with 7,946,772 votes, representing an overwhelming 71.65 percent of the ballots cast.

His closest challenger, Bobi Wine, finished second with 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72 percent, but publicly rejected the results, describing them as “fake” and “fabricated”.

Last week, Parliament passed the controversial Protection of Sovereignty Bill,2026, after the joint Parliamentary committee on Defence and Veteran Affairs and Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented their minority reports in protest.

The Kampala administration, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, introduced a Bill that seeks to provide for the protection of the sovereignty of the people of Uganda.

However, the bill, aimed at regulating foreign influence, has sparked intense debate, with critics warning it could stifle civil society, harm the economy, and infringe on citizens’ rights.

Mr Amuriat said while the party would skip the presidential swearing-in, it would attend the swearing-in of its Members of Parliament, noting that opposition legislators had secured victory despite a difficult political environment.

Just like Amuriat, Mr Benjamin Katana, National Unity Platform (NUP) treasurer, said they are not satisfied with the 2026 elections outcome, calling on fellow NUP members to shun the ceremony.

Mr Katana said that although NUP did not formally appeal to court challenging Museveni’s victory, they challenged the Electoral Commission to publish the January 15 elections results from various polling stations across the country, which they failed to do.

“We did not recognise the victory of Museveni; the process of how he was declared was so illegitimate, and we don’t encourage any of our members to attend the swearing-in,” Mr Katana said.

Katana projected that Museveni’s next term will greatly strain Ugandans, as he opposed the recent government proposal to increase the salaries of Resident District Commissioners from Shs 2,293,200 to Shs9 million, Deputy RDCs from Shs 1,282,369 to Shs5million, and for the Assistant RDCs from Shs877,216 to Shs2,695,000 million.

Mr Alex Byarugaba, Chairperson, Presidential Affairs Committee, proposed that the emoluments should be increased in a move that will see taxpayers spend Shs 29.078Bn annually, on their salaries alone.

“Each day Museveni stays in power continues to sink Uganda further into isolation from the rest of the world, also on account of the extravagant government he runs at the expense of the population, which really doesn’t resonate with the real interests of the people,” he stated.

People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) Spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda warned that Ugandans should brace for tougher times during President Museveni’s seventh term.

He said PFF will soon roll out its fresh programs after the swearing-in, where they will reach out to Ugandans for a collective solution on some pertinent issues

“Passing the Protection of Sovereignty bill was an indicator of what may unfold in his seventh term of office, just two weeks to his swearing in, the man was in a hurry to enact a law to protect himself in power,” Ssemujju claimed.

Even the opposition was invited – Mulindwa

Meanwhile, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) defended its decision to invite all political parties to President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony, saying attendance is voluntary and is intended to foster unity.

Speaking to the Monitor on Monday, Rogers Mulindwa, NRM Senior Manager in charge of information, communication and public relations, said invitations were extended to all recognised political parties, including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), but noted that attendance is not mandatory.

“We sent invitations to all political parties known to us. No one needs to attend; it is a matter of choice,” Mr Mulindwa said.

He added that the gesture was meant to promote political goodwill.

“We are only trying to promote brotherhood and friendship among political actors. Those who choose not to come are free not to attend,” he said.

Mr Mulindwa dismissed opposition claims that the 2026 general election was not free and fair, arguing that such assertions are meant to manage political defeat.

“Those who felt aggrieved had the option of going to court. Saying elections were not free and fair is just to give supporters a soft landing,” he said.