KOLOLO SET FOR MUSEVENI SWEARING-IN AS SEVENTH TERM BEGINS

Paratroopers drifting through Kampala’s afternoon sky on Monday turned hundreds of faces upward as the capital entered the final hours before the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Leaping from military aircraft circling above the city, the paratroopers floated slowly toward Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, their canopies spreading across the grey clouds in a dramatic aerial rehearsal that drew cheers, camera flashes and crowds along major roads.

In Kololo, motorists slowed down. Pedestrians stopped mid-walk. Workers fixing tents and decorations at Kololo abandoned their tasks to watch the spectacle unfolding above them.

The aerial display formed part of the final rehearsals ahead of Tuesday’s inauguration ceremony, where Gen. Museveni is expected to begin his seventh term in office following victory in the 2026 General Election.

Across the city, signs of preparation for one of Uganda’s biggest state functions were impossible to miss.

National flags lined major roads. Security patrols intensified at key junctions. Convoys carrying foreign delegations moved through the capital under escort as Kampala steadily transformed into the centre of regional diplomatic and political attention.

At Kololo, the pace of activity quickened by the hour.

Electricians rolled cables across the ceremonial grounds while engineers adjusted giant LED screens and sound towers. Workers climbed scaffoldings fixing lights and banners as forklifts moved between rows of white tents erected to host thousands of invited guests expected for the ceremony.

Nearby, military hardware stood prominently on display, armored personnel carriers, tactical response vehicles and ceremonial artillery units arranged in formation as security agencies tightened preparations around the venue.

The polished machines, positioned beneath the afternoon sun, added to the atmosphere of state ceremony and military spectacle settling over the capital.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the city is fully prepared to host the historic national event, adding that teams from KCCA have been working around the clock to ensure cleanliness, road maintenance, beautification and smooth coordination around the venue and key routes within the city.

Officials said the inauguration ceremony, themed “Protecting the Gains: Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status,” is expected to attract between 30,000 and 40,000 people, including foreign dignitaries, diplomats, religious and cultural leaders, and ordinary Ugandans from across the country.

According to the Head of Public Diplomacy, Margaret Kafeero, Uganda expects more than 50 foreign dignitaries, including between 10 and 15 heads of state.

The ceremony will also feature a coordinated aerial exhibition and a 15-minute drone light show scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday.

Speaking during the final preparations, Allan Kasujja the Executive Director of Uganda Media Center urged Ugandans who may not be able to make to Kololo to follow and enjoy the national event together with family and friends on TV and other platforms.

Security agencies, meanwhile, sought to reassure the public over the visible deployment across Kampala and along key routes leading to Kololo.

Authorities confirmed that traffic diversions around Kololo would begin as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday was officially declared a public holiday to allow citizens participate in the national event.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer