Human rights defender and lawyer Dr Sarah Bireete has raised questions over President Yoweri Museveni’s renewed term in office, saying his early decisions will reveal whether his long-standing pledge to fight corruption still holds weight in practice.
Yoweri Museveni was sworn in this week for another term, extending his decades in power and setting off fresh debate on governance, accountability, and public trust in state institutions.
For Bireete, one of the earliest tests of the new administration will not be found in policy speeches, but in leadership choices within Parliament.
She argues that the position of Speaker of Parliament has become more than a procedural matter, describing it instead as a political signal on how the State treats corruption allegations at the highest level.
“Museveni’s first test is simple: can he still fight corruption, or has it become selective?” she said.
At the centre of her concern is whether the President will retain parliamentary leadership figures facing international sanctions over allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
According to her, such a decision would shape public perception of the government’s seriousness in tackling graft.
“If a Speaker who is under sanctions for corruption is retained, then the message is clear. Accountability applies only when it is convenient,” she said.
Bireete noted that the government has consistently framed corruption as a technical challenge addressed through audits, investigations, and prosecutions. However, she insists that the issue is deeply political, influenced by decisions on who is protected and who is held accountable.
“Corruption is not only about laws. It is about political choices. When those accused of wrongdoing are protected, the system itself becomes part of the problem,” she stated.
She added that continued retention of controversial figures in leadership positions risks weakening Uganda’s anti-corruption framework and undermining public confidence in institutions.
“When enforcement becomes selective, then anti-corruption efforts stop being reforms and start becoming performances,” she said.
While acknowledging arguments that external sanctions should not determine domestic leadership decisions, Bireete said the core issue is not sovereignty but standards in public service.
“It is not about foreign pressure. It is about whether we hold our own institutions to consistent standards,” she noted.
She further warned that how the speakership issue is handled will define the tone of the new term, especially in relation to governance and integrity.
“If corruption is tolerated where power is strongest, then the fight against it is already weakened at its foundation,” she said.
Bireete concluded that the coming months will serve as an early indicator of whether anti-corruption remains a governing principle or a political statement adjusted to circumstance.