Explainer: Why Museveni was sworn in on May 12, and not earlier

By Nelson Naturinda

Bureau chief based in Kampala

Nation Media Group

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni began his new term on May 12, 2026, a date that has become Uganda’s fixed inauguration day since 1996, when the first elections were held under the 1995 Constitution.

Uganda’s constitutional order places elections, presidential terms and the transfer of power within a strict timetable designed to guarantee continuity in governance. Since the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution, elections have been held every five years, with the swearing-in marking the official start of a new term.