UGANDA: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of the country’s 2026 presidential election, securing a seventh term in office following a tense vote marked by violence, arrests and an internet shutdown, according to official results released on Saturday.
The Electoral Commission announced that Museveni, 81, polled 71.65 per cent of the votes cast in Thursday’s election, extending his grip on power and paving the way for him to continue his rule of the East African nation, which now spans four decades, reports AFP.
African election observers noted that the process was overshadowed by intimidation, while reports indicated that at least 10 people were killed during the polls.
Museveni’s closest challenger, opposition figure Bobi Wine, garnered 24.72 per cent of the vote but rejected the outcome, alleging widespread irregularities.
The 43-year-old former singer-turned-politician said he went into hiding after security forces raided his home on Friday night.
Wine, who has faced repeated arrests and harassment since entering politics and contesting the presidency in 2021, said he escaped during the raid and remains on the run.
“I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them,” Wine posted on X on Saturday. “Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest.”
“I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere and I am trying my best to keep safe,” he added, expressing fears for his safety as security operations intensified across the country.
Meanwhile, a heavy police presence was reported in and around the capital, Kampala, with security forces deployed to forestall possible protests, as authorities remained on high alert following recent unrest in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania, AFP journalists reported.
