By Staff Reporter
KAMPALA — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday took the oath of office at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, officially beginning another presidential term during a tightly secured inauguration attended by regional leaders, diplomats, military officials and thousands of supporters.
Yet while the ceremony marked another chapter in Museveni’s decades-long leadership of Uganda, it was the absence of First Lady Janet Museveni that quickly became one of the most talked-about aspects of the event across the country and on social media.
The inauguration, broadcast live on national television, drew high-profile attendance from across Africa and beyond, underscoring Uganda’s continued strategic and political influence within the East African region.
Museveni arrived at Kololo shortly before midday in a presidential motorcade accompanied by elite security units before inspecting a guard of honour mounted by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). He subsequently took both the Oath of Allegiance and the Presidential Oath in accordance with Uganda’s Constitution, formally commencing a new term in office.
In his inaugural address, Museveni emphasized continuity in government policy, highlighting economic transformation, infrastructure expansion, industrialization and agricultural modernization as central priorities for the years ahead. He also renewed calls for regional integration, stability and national unity while commending security agencies for maintaining peace and order.
“We must continue to strengthen production, expand infrastructure and ensure that every household participates in wealth creation,” Museveni said during the nationally televised ceremony.
The event attracted significant diplomatic attention, with several African heads of state and international delegations attending the ceremony and subsequent state engagements.
However, public attention increasingly shifted toward the absence of Janet Museveni, who has traditionally played a visible role at major state occasions throughout Museveni’s presidency. The First Lady, who also serves as Minister of Education and Sports, has consistently attended previous inaugurations, Independence Day celebrations and major national ceremonies, making her absence particularly noticeable both at Kololo and among viewers following live broadcasts.
By Tuesday evening, neither State House nor the Office of the First Lady had issued an official explanation regarding her absence.
The silence fueled widespread speculation online, with Ugandans debating possible reasons ranging from official commitments and scheduling conflicts to health concerns and internal political dynamics. None of the claims circulating on social media had been independently verified at the time of publication.
Political observers noted that in long-serving administrations, public appearances by members of the first family often carry symbolic significance beyond protocol.
“In established political systems, symbolism and continuity matter greatly,” said governance analyst Martin Okello. “When a prominent figure such as the First Lady is absent from a highly visible national event, public curiosity naturally follows, even where there may be a straightforward explanation.”
Other analysts cautioned against overinterpreting the development, noting that senior government officials frequently miss public engagements due to private commitments or competing responsibilities.
Despite the speculation surrounding the First Lady’s absence, the inauguration proceeded without incident. Foreign dignitaries later joined the president for official meetings and receptions, while supporters continued celebrations in and around Kampala well into the evening under heavy security deployment.
Opposition parties largely boycotted the ceremony, maintaining their longstanding position that the electoral process leading to Museveni’s re-election lacked credibility.
By the close of the day, official government messaging remained focused on Museveni’s speech, policy priorities and the significance of the inauguration itself, even as questions surrounding Janet Museveni’s absence continued to dominate public discourse.
Analysts said the episode once again highlighted the powerful role symbolism, optics and public perception continue to play in Uganda’s political landscape and high-profile state ceremonies.
