Kampala woke under watch, with guns in nearly every direction. Armed soldiers and police officers lined major roads and streets before sunrise. Along the Northern Bypass, each roundabout held clusters of security personnel. Tents stood beside armoured vehicles, while patrol trucks moved slowly, some with doors open, others in tight convoy.
A walk along the bypass revealed a pattern. No stretch passed without the police or the army. Surveillance units and patrol cars rotated positions. The posture was firm and visible. Posters of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni covered lamp posts, guardrails, and shop fronts. Yellow dominated the roadside.
From Kalerwe and Bwaise, and other routes leading into the city, the same mix of security and symbolism was observed. Movement into the city remained steady.
Minibuses carried supporters toward Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. Others returned to pick up more passengers. Small groups of pedestrians walked in yellow shirts, some holding party flags. Brass bands also appeared at several spots in the suburbs.
In the city, hundreds of boda boda riders linked to the New Generation Boda Boda sector brought Kampala Road to a standstill on Tuesday. Dressed in yellow T-shirts and helmets, they first gathered at Railway Grounds for a briefing before fanning out across the city.
At Jinja Road traffic lights, they halted traffic, hooting and revving engines as some performed stunts in the middle of the road. The scene played out in full view of heavily deployed army, police, and traffic officers who largely looked on.
The convoy pushed through Lugogo bypass, then on to Nakawa and Naguru, before looping past Kati Kati and returning to the city centre. As they advanced, other motorists pulled to the roadside to give way. John Bosco Musasizi, a boda boda rider from Makindye, condemned the conduct of the group. He said some individuals within the convoy used the chaos to snatch phones and other belongings at traffic lights.
“They are carrying thugs who are not celebrating but stealing as they move,” he said. “Security is targeting other riders, beating them and impounding motorcycles, yet those in the convoy are left alone.”
He added that the closure of key roads into the city centre had disrupted work for many riders who rely on daily income to service loans. Jeremiah Gumisiriza, the NRM National Chairman for the Museveni Boda-boda Supporters Association in Kampala, who led the city celebrations, rejected claims linking his group to theft.
He said those involved in snatching belongings were criminals who should be arrested by security. He said the riders turned out to celebrate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s inauguration, but also used the moment to press for accountability.
He alleged that funds extended to the boda boda sector had been diverted by individuals within State House.“We lebrating the President’s inauguration, but we also want answers. The money he gave to the boda boda sector was swindled by some State House actors,” he said.
Meanwhile, security forces sealed off key junctions across Kampala, from the Northern Bypass through Mulago and Wandegeya to Kiseka Market.
Similar deployments appeared along Jinja Road, at Clock Tower flyover, and in Nsambya. Heavily armed units drawn from the UPDF, the Special Forces Command, the Field Force Unit, Counter Terrorism, and the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force spread across Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono.
The presence intensified as Yoweri Kaguta Museveni prepared to take the oath for another term. Armored police and military vehicles occupied strategic points in Fairway, Clock Tower, Wandegeya, Kabalagala, and Bwaise. New police motorcycles, each carrying two officers, patrolled the central business district and major roads.
Police spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke, said the deployment aimed to pre-empt threats, especially in areas known for criminal activity. At Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, preparations pointed to a large turnout. Organisers expected at least 35 heads of state and between 30,000 and 40,000 guests.
The event marks Museveni’s swearing-in for a new term following the 2026 general elections. In those polls, he secured a decisive victory with 71.65% of the vote, according to official results.
His first swearing-in took place in 1986 on the steps of Parliament after leading the National Resistance Army to victory in the bush war. The second followed the 1996 presidential election under the restored Constitution. He has since been returned to power in every subsequent election cycle.
As Kampala absorbs both the show of force and waves of celebration, the day reflects the weight of a long presidency and the tensions that shape public life in Uganda-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
