Politics 11 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Opposition Parties Boycott Museveni's Swearing-In, Citing Disputed Election
Major opposition parties in Uganda have announced their decision to boycott President Yoweri Museveni's upcoming swearing-in ceremony, asserting that attending would legitimize what they deem a fraudulent election victory. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/opposition-shun-museveni-s-swearing-in-fete-warn-of-tougher-times-ahead--5455398
Uganda’s leading opposition political parties have confirmed they will not attend President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony, despite receiving official invitations. The parties argue that participating in the event would implicitly endorse a disputed and fraudulent electoral outcome.
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, stated that their absence is a principled stand against legitimizing an election they believe was not genuinely won. “We cannot participate in what is clearly window dressing intended to portray the ruling government as democratic before the international community,” Amuriat commented. Instead, the FDC plans to celebrate the swearing-in of their newly elected Members of Parliament.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) echoed these sentiments. Treasurer Benjamin Katana stated that the party is dissatisfied with the 2026 election results and urged NUP members to boycott the ceremony. He criticized the Electoral Commission for failing to publish polling station results, which he believes undermines the legitimacy of Museveni’s declared victory.
Opposition figures also warned of challenging times ahead for Ugandans during Museveni’s seventh term, pointing to recent controversial policies like the Protection of Sovereignty Bill and proposed salary increases for district officials as indicators of increased government spending and authoritarianism. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, spokesperson for the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), suggested that the Sovereignty Bill, passed shortly before the swearing-in, is a move to consolidate power.
Despite the opposition’s boycott, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) defended its decision to extend invitations, describing it as a gesture to foster unity and political goodwill. NRM Senior Manager Rogers Mulindwa stated that attendance is voluntary and dismissed opposition claims about the election’s fairness as a way to manage defeat.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)