Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been sworn in for a seventh straight term in office, extending a rule that has lasted nearly 40 years.
The 81-year-old leader, who came to power in 1986 after leading a rebel movement, took the oath of office on Tuesday at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala under heavy security presence across the Ugandan capital.
Official results from the January presidential election showed Museveni secured more than 70 per cent of the votes, earning him another term expected to run until 2031.
However, the outcome remains disputed.
His closest challenger, opposition leader Bobi Wine, rejected the results, accusing the government of widespread electoral malpractice and voter manipulation. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, described the election as fraudulent and claimed democratic principles had been undermined.
The 44-year-old politician later fled Uganda, saying he feared for his safety.
“The regime wanted to eliminate me,” he reportedly said after leaving the country.
Uganda’s electoral commission dismissed the allegations and insisted the polls were conducted fairly.
Museveni is now among Africa’s longest-serving presidents, alongside leaders such as Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon’s Paul Biya.
Several African leaders attended Tuesday’s inauguration ceremony, including Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, DR Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi, South Sudan’s Salva Kiir, and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
With one of the youngest populations in the world, many Ugandans have never known another president apart from Museveni.
Although the veteran leader has not publicly spoken about retirement, political observers continue to speculate that this could be his final term in office.
Attention has increasingly turned to his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief, who is widely seen as a possible successor. Kainerugaba has faced criticism in recent years over controversial social media comments directed at opposition figures, including Bobi Wine.
Meanwhile, human rights groups have continued to raise concerns over Uganda’s political climate and the treatment of opposition members following the elections.
Amnesty International alleged that at least 16 people were killed by security forces during unrest that followed the January polls, claiming the victims were unarmed and posed no immediate threat.
Opposition figure Kizza Besigye also remains in detention after his arrest in late 2024. He is facing charges linked to illegal arms possession and alleged attempts to procure weapons abroad, accusations he has denied.
The Ugandan government has also come under criticism over a recently introduced Sovereignty Bill, which criminalises activities considered to favour foreign interests against Uganda and labels recipients of foreign funding as “agents of foreigners.”
