Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has officially been sworn in for his second term as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The manicured lawns of State House were transformed into a grand ceremonial space as hundreds of attendees streamed in for the occasion. Rows of chairs filled with dignitaries, government officials, and members of the public who had cleared expanded security screening to witness the historic event. Despite the sweltering heat, the crowd pressed on, fanning themselves as they awaited the moment the President would take his oath.
Cheers broke out as Ali, accompanied by his wife, First Lady Arya Ali, made his way to the stage. The Golden Arrowhead, Guyana’s national flag, was displayed prominently across the grounds, repeated on banners and stands, lending the ceremony a sense of national pride. Ahead of the proceedings, live music by the Police Band set the atmosphere, while during the ceremony the voices of a children’s choir rose for the singing of the national anthem.
The ceremony unfolded in solemn but celebratory order. The oath of office was administered by Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Roxane George-Wiltshire, formally beginning Ali’s second term. He was then presented with an Indigenous headdress, a symbolic gesture honoring Guyana’s First Peoples. Only afterward did Ali deliver his address to the nation.
“My mission is unchanged,” Ali said. “It remains to serve every citizen of this land, irrespective of race, color, or creed, ensuring that every Guyanese has a place in our national family and a stake in our shared future.” He added that “the next five years will be the most consequential in our nation.”
Among the crowd were a number of notable attendees. Candidates of the People’s Progressive Party, including several who previously served as Members of Parliament and ministers, were present — many expected to retake office as the new administration takes shape. Also in attendance were members of the legal fraternity, foreign dignitaries, and oil industry officials.
The event followed the certification of results by the Guyana Elections Commission, which late Saturday night confirmed the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s decisive majority in the 2025 General and Regional Elections. The PPP secured 36 seats in the 65-member National Assembly — its largest majority, tying with its 2006 landslide.
The resounding mandate expanded on its first term, during which the government used burgeoning oil revenues to finance new schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and energy plants, while also enlarging social programs and welfare grants for Guyanese families. It also pushed an ambitious housing program, distributing thousands of house lots and constructing homes for beneficiaries across the country. In higher education, the administration made tuition free at the University of Guyana and all technical and vocational institutes, opening doors of opportunity to thousands of citizens.
The mood on the grounds reflected both celebration and the weight of responsibility ahead.
Immediately following the ceremony, a grand procession moved along Main Street, culminating at the Kingston Seawall Esplanade. There, a brunch and cultural display is expected to unfold.
With the oath complete, Irfaan Ali has embarked on his second term as Head of State.
