Uganda’s First Lady, Janet Museveni, on Tuesday missed President Yoweri Museveni’s seventh-term inauguration ceremony at Kampala’s Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, deepening questions over her prolonged absence from public view.

The First Lady, who doubled up as Education Minister in Museveni’s just-lapsed administration, sparked scrutiny from observers after the unexplained presence of a Ugandan presidential jet in the United States, which coincided with her prolonged absence from public engagements.

With no publicly recorded appearance since March 21, she was notably absent as the 81-year-old Ugandan leader arrived at the ceremony for a fresh five-year mandate expected to run until 2031.

Flight tracking data showed the presidential aircraft departed Uganda, transited through Cape Verde and landed in Savannah — home to Gulfstream Aerospace, the manufacturer of the G550 and one of the world’s largest business aviation maintenance and service hubs.

While Savannah is a routine destination for Gulfstream aircraft undergoing technical servicing, Ugandan authorities did not disclose who was aboard the jet or the purpose of the trip, fuelling speculation online due to the concurrent disappearance of the First Lady from public engagements.

Janet Museveni’s last known public activity was a post on X about attending a fundraiser for a science block at Seeta College on March 21, where she highlighted efforts to advance STEM education under Uganda’s competence-based curriculum.

At Tuesday’s inauguration, President Museveni proceeded directly to the saluting dais, where he inspected an armed forces parade accompanied by his son and Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Kenya was represented at the ceremony by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who confirmed his arrival in Entebbe on behalf of President William Ruto for the swearing-in ceremony attended by regional leaders and at least 15 Heads of State, including Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu and DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi.