President Museveni in the driving seat

"Congratulations Mr President you have passed!"

Tongues have been wagging in the capital, Kampala, since a Ugandan newspaper on Wednesday reported that their president has just acquired his first driving licence.

The Monitor newspaper said President Yoweri Museveni was issued with a permit last Friday, and there are no previous records of him having had one.

Surely he can't be chauffeur driven for ever

Kampala shopkeeper

However, the paper was unable to unearth anyone who could confirm that he had in fact taken a driving test.

Indeed, it seems inconceivable that anyone would have dared test President Museveni's driving skills before issuing him with a licence.

Fix?

Talking to BBC News Online, businessman George Mwenda suggested as much.

"He's the president. Did he really go through a driving test like the rest of us do? I bet it is a fix."

President Museveni is more used to being driven around

People are also asking whether the president might have broken the law before last Friday and driven on Ugandan roads without a licence.

He is of course usually chauffeured around, but in his autobiography he gives an account of a long drive.

And during his successful re-election campaign earlier this year he was spotted behind the driver's wheel.

But when asked for clarification, all the president's press secretary Mrs Mary Karooro Okurut, would tell us was that his acquiring of a permit was a good sign.

Signal

"The president is not above the law. He respects the law."

What signal does this send out to Ugandans?

"He definitely should not drive without a permit, they wouldn't arrest him or anything. But it sends a signal to the rest of the population. It shows he's part of us"

There is also a theory being put forward that his acquiring of a driving licence could be Mr Museveni starting to prepare for civilian life, despite his being re-elected earlier this year for another term in office.

MP and defeated presidential candidate Aggrey Awori optimistically suggested to the BBC: "Maybe he's preparing for his retirement"

Kampala shopkeeper Dirisa Kalyowa also suspected something saying: "Probably he's preparing for what is to come. Surely he can't be chauffeur driven for ever!"