Former Ugandan spymaster Gen David Sejusa wants the Constitution changed to allow the president-elect swear-in one week after results declaration.
Gen Sejusa, previously Tinyefuza, says his proposal is meant to cure the problem of what looks like “an absentee government” after elections.
Sejusa argues that the time between results declaration and the date when a newly elected government is inaugurated, there is a vacuum and the citizens cannot see the government “on ground.”
He gave an example of Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s visit to the victims of a fire at a market in Kampala, observing that government officials were yet to visit them – yet the capital city has a number of MPs, ministers, a lord mayor and councillors.
“Just seen The Kabaka at Katwe Market [on March 17, 2026] where he went to commiserate with his people whose property and money got destroyed in a fire. The burning for me is not the main news here because it has become a common occurring,” noted Ssejusa.
“What I found disturbing is what the people reported to the Kabaka; that since the fire, no government official had visited them. He was the first! How many Ministers [does Kampala have]? Mayors, [Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority – KCCA] etc, where are they?”
In Sejusa’s view, the period between the declaration of a newly elected president, members of parliament and local governments, and the time of their inauguration, creates a vacuum since some people who have lost elections are still in charge and (perhaps nursing wounds of defeat – The Pearl Times thinks so).
Newly elected officials have not yet taken charge and even incumbent ministers are not sure if they will or will not be in the next cabinet.
“However, I have a clue about what the problem is; There Is No Functioning Governing Between The Declaration Of Presidential Results And Swearing Of The New President. January to May…. The old mayor Mr Lukwago was voted out, the new one is not in,” noted Sejusa.
“The Ministers are not sure if they are coming back. The ED, who knows, may be also busy lobbing for a new job in the coming government (just in jest here).”
The retired army general has now called for an amendment of the constitution to make it mandatory for a president-elect to be sworn within one week after being declared the winner of the election.
“Whatever the case, this shows we need to amend the constitution and have the president sworn-in within one week after the declaration of results. It serves no purpose to wait 5 months – Jan 14th to May?” he wondered.
Interestingly, Sejusa was a member of the Constituent Assembly when the issues of the time between declaration of presidential results and inauguration was discussed – and he opposed it.
“I was in the CA, and many of us opposed this provision and thought it would be disruptive, especially if the in-coming President is not the incumbent,” he revealed.
“But late Kanyeihamba and a few heads had this idea that Uganda had become America…. pushed it!
Now he says, “five months of absentee government is a great waste and should be revisited.”
Relatedly, there have been rumors of a plot to change the constitution to allow only MPs to vote for the president, as reported Here and There.
Gen Sejusa is a man well known for speaking his mind, something that made him fall out with President Yoweri Museveni. Sejusa had claimed that there was a plot for Muhoozi Kainerugaba to succeed his father Museveni. Sejusa once fumed after he was told he would soon be saluting Muhoozi while Muhoozi said he was never interested in the presidency until Sejusa made Ugandans love him. (See Details Here and There).
Sejusa has also previously made shocking revelations about the fear of being poisoned in cabinet, high command meetings and parliament Here.
