KAMPALA. At least 35 Heads of State are expected to attend President Museveni’s swearing-in and inauguration scheduled for May 12 at Kololo Independence Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.
The Minister in-charge of the Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, says President Museveni invited “many of his colleagues” from the African continent and other parts of the world, and as of Tuesday, 30 delegations had confirmed their attendance.
“His Excellency, the President also invited 16 of the revolutionary parties across the world and information from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretariat has indicated that 15 delegations have so far confirmed their attendance,” Ms Babalanda said while addressing journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala on Tuesday.
Mr Museveni of the ruling NRM party won the January 15 presidential election with 7,946,772 votes (71.6%), according to the Electoral Commission (EC). His closest challenger, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, of the National Unity Platform (NUP) got 2,741,238 votes, and Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) came third with 209,039 votes.
The other five contenders – Gen (Rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu (Alliance for National Transformation), Frank Bulira (Revolutionary People’s Party), Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party), Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party) and Joseph Mabirizi (Conservative Party) – combined received less votes than the 275,353 invalid ones.
Next week’s swearing-in and inauguration ceremonies mark the formal commencement of President Museveni’s seventh elective term of office.
Article 103 of sub-section 8 of the Constitution “as amended) provides that a person elected president shall assume office within 24 hours after the expiry of the term of the predecessor, while under Section 58 of sub-section 2 of the Presidential Elections Act Cap 179 it is a requirement that before assuming the duties of the Office of the President.
Consequently, the president-elect shall take and subscribe to the oath of allegiance and the presidential oath specified in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution (as amended).
The NRM Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong, said “quite a number of heads of states” have been invited and confirmed their attendance, while a number of fraternal political parties around Africa have confirmed attendance, including; the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), and Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).
Others are Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of Tanzania; Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF); National Council for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD) of Burundi; United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of Kenya, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) of South Sudan, among others.
“The Russian federal party is coming, the Communist Party of China is coming, plus all liberation forces around Africa and outside Africa. We are joining forces in solidarity to confirm that this victory is not only for NRM, but it is a victory for the Africans.
According to Ms Babalanda, both ceremonies (swearing-in and inauguration) will begin at 8am and end at 2pm, and will be held under the theme: “Protecting the gains, making a qualitative leap into high middle income status”.
Ms Babalanda also announced thanksgiving prayers to be held throughout the country ahead of May 12, and encouraged all Ugandans to hold them in their respective places of worship, starting in all Mosques on Friday, Seventh Day Adventist Churches on Saturday, and all other (Anglican and Catholic) Churches on Sunday