Seasoned Photographer and the official Senior Photographer to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Abu Mwesigwa, is set to launch his highly anticipated photobook Moments with Mzee this Friday, May 8, 2026, at Serena Hotel Kampala.
The book captures a decade of rare, intimate, and defining images of President Museveni, offering both public and private glimpses into the life of Uganda’s long-serving leader. It includes powerful visuals from global summits, high-level engagements, and unguarded behind-the-scenes moments that have shaped the visual narrative of the Presidency. President Museveni himself has endorsed the project with a foreword.
Mwesigwa, a professional photographer born in Kajjansi, Wakiso District in 1989, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art with a major in Advanced Photography from the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts. As State House’s senior photographer, he has documented key historical events and the President’s daily engagements with dedication and creativity.
A humorous anecdote shared by State House online editor Nelson Bwire Kapo highlights the challenges and resilience of Uganda’s presidential photography team. During a foreign leaders’ summit, Mwesigwa found himself competing with elite international press, including a Japanese photographer armed with ultra-high-speed cameras capable of rapid-fire bursts. Amid the chaos—and with President Museveni having removed his signature hat—Mwesigwa still managed to capture the defining moment, a testament to his skill under pressure.
The launch event promises an inspiring evening for photography enthusiasts, historians, political observers, and the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase copies, with some signed editions expected. Organizers have indicated that select copies will also be made available online after the launch.
The photobook is described as premium in quality, featuring high-end production values that reflect the significance of its content. It goes beyond standard official photography to tell untold stories through the lens of a dedicated insider.
Born in Kajjansi, Wakiso district in 1989, Abu Mwesigwa is a professional photographer with a bachelor’s degree in fine art- majoring in Advanced Photography from the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and fine arts.
The book launch comes ahead of Preident Yoweri Museveni Swearing in ceremony for a 7th term in office on the 12th of May, 2026, in a colourful function at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds that will attract Heads of State, members of revolutionary political parties in Africa and abroad, local and international dignitaries, as well as Ugandan citizens.
The ceremony’s theme is “Protecting the Gains: Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status,” and comes against the backdrop of President Museveni’s resounding victory in the 2026 polls.
“After assessment of recent manifestos, a majority of eligible voters representing 71.65% out of the total votes cast, found the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party manifesto clearly in the correct ideological principles of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation and democracy. This overwhelming public trust brought back our visionary leader, His Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to steer this country for the next five years,” the Minister said.
Honourable Babalanda also used the opportunity to highlight the key achievements of the NRM Government since 1986, when it toppled General Tito Okello Lutwa’s Government after a gruelling guerrilla warfare that dated back to 1980. She attributed these to the Ugandan masses’ choice to rest on the firm foundation and correct ideological direction laid by the NRM.
“The NRM has been able to preserve peace for 40 years, which no previous government has ever achieved. This has been done by emphasising interests such as business, markets, and services rather than identity, rights, religion, sectarianism, and gender equality. This has enabled the NRM Government to unite Ugandans politically and create strong national institutions like the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda Prisons Service,” she said.
