Uganda is hosting a wave of high-level regional leaders, diplomats and foreign envoys ahead of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Kololo Independence Grounds.
Among the first dignitaries to arrive is the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who landed at Entebbe International Airport to attend the inauguration ceremony and strengthen bilateral relations between Uganda and Somalia.
Upon arrival, President Mohamud was received by Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, alongside senior Ugandan and Somali diplomatic and security officials, including ambassadors and military leadership representatives.
Security officials present included Lt. Gen. Charles Otema Awany, Commander of the UPDF Reserve Force, Assistant Inspector General of Police David Wasswa Ssengendo, and Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Samuel Akena.
President Mohamud is among several Heads of State expected to attend the inauguration, which has attracted wide regional and international attention.
Meanwhile, President Museveni also held a series of high-level diplomatic engagements at State House Entebbe, including a meeting with a United States delegation led by Mr Nicholas Checker, Senior Bureau Official in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs.
Mr Checker is representing U.S. President Donald Trump at the swearing-in ceremony, accompanied by the United States Ambassador to Uganda, H.E William W. Popp.
During the meeting, President Museveni called for increased international support for Africa’s industrialisation agenda, stressing the importance of value addition to raw materials.
“Our advice to the United States and the rest of the world is that Africa needs support in value addition. We should not continue exporting raw materials without processing them,” President Museveni said.
He argued that Africa continues to lose significant economic value by exporting unprocessed commodities such as coffee, oil and minerals, noting that industrialisation is key to job creation and economic transformation.
“If you export coffee without processing it, you lose a lot of money. The same applies to oil and minerals. Value addition is the key to increasing Africa’s purchasing power and prosperity,” he added.
President Museveni also highlighted Africa’s demographic outlook, warning that the continent’s rapidly growing population will require stronger economies and expanded industrial capacity.
“Africa’s population is expected to reach nearly 2.5 billion people in the next 30 years. We need bigger economies and more purchasing power for our people,” he said.
The President further noted Uganda’s commitment to regional peace and stability, citing the country’s ongoing involvement in peacekeeping operations in Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr Checker conveyed greetings from President Donald Trump and commended Uganda’s contribution to regional security efforts, particularly in Somalia and South Sudan.
“I want to thank Uganda for the important role it continues to play in peacekeeping efforts in the region,” he said.
The U.S. delegation also expressed support for continued cooperation with Uganda in areas including trade, health, and economic development.
President Museveni earlier received South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit at State House, Entebbe.
The two leaders are set to discuss regional security and economic cooperation as they move to deepen the longstanding bilateral ties between Uganda and South Sudan.
“I warmly welcome him and wish him a fruitful stay as we continue to strengthen the historic brotherly ties and cooperation between our two countries,” he said on X.
In a separate engagement, President Museveni earlier hosted President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, reinforcing what both leaders described as historic ties and cooperation between Uganda and Somalia.
With multiple Heads of State, diplomats, and international envoys arriving in Kampala and Entebbe, Uganda is set for one of its most closely watched state ceremonies in recent years.