Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni who has been in power since 1986, six African heads of state have arrived in Uganda on Tuesday to witness the ceremony
The six presidents were received by Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem Okello at Entebbe Airport ahead of President Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony for his sixth-elective term of office at Kololo Independence Grounds.
They are Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Somalia), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Hage Gottfried Geingob (Namibia) and Alpha Conde (Guinea).
In addition to the six African heads of state already in Uganda, Sudanese vice president, Malik Agar Eyr, South Africa’s minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor and the executive secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), João Samuel Caholo, arrived in Uganda on Tuesday afternoon to witness the swearing in ceremony of Mr Museveni, 76, slated for Wednesday May 12th.
Mr Museveni was declared winner of the January elections with 58 per cent of the votes cast while his closest contender, musician turned politician, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine got 35 per cent, according to the Electoral Commission.
Police and the army also said there was heightened security in Kampala and surrounding areas to contain any criminal activities and to ensure Mr Museveni’s swearing is a success as he embarks on another term to mark four decades in power.
Police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga said the Force had taken a deliberate decision to enhance their enforcement measures on motorists, outside the essential category, who fail to comply with curfew hours.
More heads of state and representatives of other governments are among the more than 4,000 guests expected to attend the event which members of Uganda’s Opposition have shunned following what they described as a sham election.
CP Enanga said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.“We are going to impound all motorcycles/boda bodas beyond the 6pm restricted timing, and motor vehicles beyond the 9pm restricted timing. Additional sanctions will include arrests, fines and penalties irrespective of whether you are a driver, rider, passenger or occupant. In addition, all proprietors of fuel stations who continue to park motor vehicles and motorcycles, will be subjected to further investigations, on parking authorisations, as we arrange to impound all motor vehicles and motorcycles parked at respective fuel stations,”