Kampala: Incumbent Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Uganda's presidential election, securing a large majority according to the country's electoral commission. The 81-year-old leader received 71% of the vote, which will extend his governance into a seventh five-year term.
According to Ghana News Agency, Museveni's main rival, Bobi Wine, a former musician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, garnered 24% of the vote. Wine has accused the government of vote rigging, claiming in a video message posted on X that the "so-called results that they are declaring are fake and they don't in any way reflect what happened at the polling stations." Wine also reported an attempted kidnapping by state security forces on Friday evening, stating he is now in hiding.
Wine has strong support among young voters, who form the majority of Uganda's registered voters. Out of the 50 million Ugandans, around 21 million were eligible to vote in this election. Critics have highlighted government actions during the campaign, pointing to repression against opposition candidates and their supporters. Internet access in Uganda has been blocked since Tuesday evening, and journalists have been barred from covering potential protests related to the elections.
In the lead-up to the election, activists criticized governmental repression targeting opposition figures and their supporters. The UN Human Rights Commission also expressed concern over "undue restrictions" imposed on the opposition by state security forces.