By Gad Masereka
Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Manager of the Office of the National Chairman, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, was among the prominent NRM mobilisers who witnessed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni being sworn in for his seventh term at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala on Tuesday, capping weeks of intensive nationwide mobilisation that she personally led.
The ceremony, presided over by Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, officially ushered Museveni into a new five-year term running from 2026 to 2031. He took both the Oath of Allegiance and the Presidential Oath before a mammoth crowd that packed Kololo and spilled into surrounding areas, with tens of thousands of supporters, dignitaries, diplomats, and international guests in attendance.
As Museveni raised his hand to take the oath, the grounds erupted into thunderous cheers, ululations, and chants from NRM supporters, many of whom had been mobilised through the ONC structures that Namyalo oversees. Her presence at the ceremony was widely seen as a visible symbol of the months of groundwork she had invested in ensuring a massive turnout for the occasion.
In the days leading to the inauguration, Namyalo had crisscrossed Kampala and other parts of the country, calling on Ugandans regardless of religion, tribe, or political affiliation to attend the national function. On the eve of the ceremony, she flagged off over 1,000 boda boda riders across the Kampala Metropolitan area to carry mobilisation messages directly into communities, markets, and residential areas.
The overwhelming youthful presence at Kololo did not go unnoticed. Political observers attributed it in large part to Namyalo’s sustained outreach among the Bazzukulu, a constituency she has cultivated with considerable energy and consistency within NRM structures.
Throughout the event, she was seen moving through the grounds, interacting with youth groups, supporters, and senior party officials as celebrations filled every corner of the ceremonial venue.
Outgoing Vice President Jessica Alupo captured the mood of the occasion in her remarks. “We now have a new president who will take us through the presidential term 2026 to 2031. Thank you NRM cadres, leaders, and mobilisers,” she said.
President Museveni later received the instruments of power, including the Constitution, the national flag, the presidential standard flag, the national coat of arms, the public seal, and other official state symbols marking the formal commencement of his new administration. The Uganda National Anthem rang out across the grounds before a 21-gun salute echoed across Kampala, after which the President inspected the military parade for the first time as head of state for the 2026 to 2031 term.
The ceremony unfolded under the theme “Protecting the Gains,” a phrase that resonated strongly with veteran NRM cadres who filled the venue. For many of them, Namyalo’s visible role throughout the occasion reflected not just personal loyalty but the results of a mobilisation effort that transformed Kololo into a sea of yellow on one of Uganda’s most significant political days in recent years.
As Uganda enters this new chapter, her supporters say she has continued to distinguish herself as one of the President’s most dependable grassroots fighters, especially in urban areas where the battle for youth loyalty remains the most consequential political contest of the moment.