Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s election, extending his four decades in power by another five years. The electoral commission announced that Museveni gained 72% of the vote, while his closest challenger, former pop star Bobi Wine, received 25%. Wine condemned the results as “fake” and accused authorities of “ballot stuffing,” though he has not provided evidence and the authorities have not responded. African Union election observers reported seeing “no evidence of ballot stuffing.” Wine has called for non-violent protests in response.
Museveni, 81, first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 and has since won seven elections. The latest vote was marred by violence, with Wine claiming that at least 21 people have been killed around the country in recent days; authorities have confirmed seven deaths. Electoral commission head Simon Byabakama urged supporters of both factions to embrace unity and accept the results. Beyond the national tallying center, there were minimal celebrations, with most roads in the capital, Kampala, empty and businesses closed, though pockets of violence have been reported in several neighborhoods. Access to the internet has been cut since Tuesday, with authorities citing the need to prevent misinformation, fraud, and incitement of violence—a move condemned by the UN human rights office as “deeply worrying.” Wine has demanded the restoration of internet access.
Leading the African Union observer mission, Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan told journalists that the government should refrain from suspending internet access around the election. He also denounced “reports of intimidation, arrest and abductions,” which he said “instilled fear and eroded public trust in the electoral process,” according to AFP. Speaking to the BBC, Wine’s assistant Dan Magic alleged that security personnel entered Wine’s home on Thursday night to take him, and his whereabouts were unknown. Wine had previously said he was under house arrest. On Saturday, he posted a statement on Facebook claiming he had evaded an attempt to seize him. Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said the politician’s movements had been restricted because his home was considered a “security interest.”
Wine, 43, positions himself as a representative of Uganda’s youth, where most of the population is under 30. During the campaign, he promised to tackle corruption and implement sweeping reforms, while Museveni emphasized his role as the guarantor of stability in a country with a history of conflict. There were six other candidates in the election, none of whom received more than 2% of the vote. Voter turnout was 52.5%. The campaign period was marred by disruptions of opposition activities, with security forces accused of assaulting and detaining Wine’s supporters, though Rusoke dismissed these complaints and accused opposition supporters of being disruptive.
