Calls emerge for constitutional amendment to swear in new leaders immediately after election

Fresh calls have emerged for Uganda to amend its Constitution to allow newly elected leaders to assume office almost immediately after elections.

The push follows growing concerns that the current transition period leaves a gap in active governance.

The debate was sparked by Gen David Sejusa, the former Coordinator of Intelligence Services, following a fire that recently destroyed property at Katwe Market in Kampala. 

Reports from traders indicated that no government officials had visited the victims in the days after the incident until the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, arrived to commiserate with them.

Sejusa said the situation was a clear indication of the “lame-duck” transition period between the declaration of presidential election results and the swearing-in of the new leadership.

“Since the fire, no government official has visited them. The Kabaka was the first,” Sejusa wrote in a social media post. 

“How many Ministers does  Kampala la have; Mayors, ED  etc, where are they?”

Gen Sejusa believes the problem lies in the constitutional timeline that allows several months between elections and the inauguration of a new president. 

Uganda normally holds general elections in January, but the president-elect assumes office only after the expiration of the incumbent’s term in May. 

In the last election cycle, President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner of the January 14 presidential vote but was sworn in on May 12, marking nearly four months of transition. 

The arrangement stems from provisions in the 1995 Constitution, which state that a person elected president assumes office only after the term of the sitting president expires. 

Critics argue that the long waiting period can weaken government responsiveness. 

Sejusa said many outgoing officials often slow down their work because they are uncertain about their future roles. As such, he called for a constitutional amendment to shorten this period.

“There is no functioning government between the declaration of presidential results and swearing in of the new president,” he argued.

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,” he added,

Comparisons with neighbouring countries show that Uganda’s transition period is longer than in some East African states. 

In Kenya, for example, the Constitution requires the president-elect to be sworn in within about two weeks after the declaration of results once any petitions are resolved. 

Tanzania and Rwanda also conduct inaugurations within weeks rather than months.