President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s election, extending his four decades in power by another five years.
The election commission announced that Museveni secured 72% of the vote, while his closest challenger, Bobi Wine, received 25%. Wine, a 43-year-old former pop star, has rejected the results, describing them as “fake” and alleging “ballot stuffing,” though he has provided no evidence, and authorities have not responded to his claims. He has called on Ugandans to hold non-violent protests.
Museveni, 81, first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 and has since won seven elections.
The election period was marked by violence. Wine claimed that at least 21 people have been killed across the country in recent days, though authorities have confirmed seven deaths. Access to the internet has been cut since Tuesday, making independent verification of events difficult. Authorities say the blackout is intended to prevent misinformation, fraud, and incitement of violence—a move the UN human rights office called “deeply worrying.” Wine has demanded that the internet be restored.
Overnight, Wine’s party reported that he had been abducted from his home in Kampala, a claim denied by police. Wine later stated on Facebook that he had evaded a night-time raid by security forces and was in hiding, having previously said he was under house arrest. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said Wine’s movements were restricted because his home is considered an area of “security interest,” and that access to certain locations is controlled to prevent gatherings that could cause chaos.
Wine’s campaign represented Uganda’s youth, who make up a majority of the population under 30, and focused on tackling corruption and implementing reforms. Museveni, in contrast, campaigned as the guarantor of stability in a country with a history of conflict.
Six other candidates contested the election but none received more than 2% of the vote. Voter turnout was 52.5%. The campaign period was also marred by reports of opposition activities being disrupted, with security forces accused of assaulting and detaining Wine’s supporters allegations dismissed by police, who accused opposition supporters of causing disturbances.
