In a divisive and hotly contested election, Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni has secured a seventh term in office, despite widespread allegations of voter suppression and a crackdown on the opposition. The 81-year-old leader, who has ruled the East African nation since 1986, won a landslide victory with 72% of the vote, but the poll was criticised by international observers for its lack of fairness and transparency.
Museveni’s main challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, won 25% of the vote, but has alleged that the election was “blatantly stolen” from him. Wine, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, claimed that his home was raided by police, though authorities denied this and said he remained at his residence. The opposition leader has not been active on social media since Saturday, fuelling concerns about his safety and whereabouts.
In his victory speech, Museveni lashed out at his opponents, describing them as “terrorists” who had planned to attack polling stations. He also accused the opposition of colluding with “foreigners” and “homosexual groups.” The veteran leader’s rhetoric has been widely condemned by human rights groups, who have accused the government of a “brutal repression” of dissent in the lead-up to the vote.
The election was marred by a government-imposed internet blackout, which was lifted late on Saturday, and reports of violence, with at least 10 people allegedly killed in clashes between security forces and opposition supporters in the Butambala area. African election observers, including a team from the African Union, said that “reports of intimidation, arrest and abduction” had “instilled fear and eroded public trust in the electoral process.”
Despite the controversies, Museveni has remained defiant, dismissing the opposition’s claims of foul play and vowing to continue his long rule over Uganda. The election result is likely to further deepen the country’s political divisions and raise concerns about the state of democracy in the region.