In a highly contested election, Yoweri Museveni, the 81-year-old president of Uganda, has secured his seventh term in office, winning over 70% of the vote. However, his opponent, the popular musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, has condemned the results as “fake” and alleged numerous irregularities during the voting process.
Museveni, who has been in power for 40 years, is now the third-longest-serving non-royal national leader in the world. His victory comes amid an internet shutdown and claims of voter suppression and ballot-stuffing by his political rival.
Wine, who had hoped to unseat the long-ruling president, alleged that members of polling staff were kidnapped and that the use of manual voter registers allowed for “massive ballot-stuffing” in favour of the incumbent. He also claimed that security forces had raided his home, forcing him to flee to avoid arrest.
The election was not without incident, as seven people died and three were injured during clashes between police and opposition supporters. The police claimed they had acted in self-defence against “opposition goons,” a claim disputed by a local MP who said security forces had killed 10 people.
Despite the allegations of fraud and the internet shutdown, the election largely passed without major incident, according to observers. However, Uganda is considered a “not free” country by human rights monitor Freedom House, which noted that while the country holds regular elections, they are not considered credible.
Museveni, who has rewritten Uganda’s laws to stay in power, including by removing term and age limits from the constitution, has overseen a period of relative stability in the country, which has allowed the economy to grow. However, his long rule has also been marked by the jailing of opposition figures and a crackdown on dissent.
As Museveni prepares to embark on his seventh term, the country faces ongoing challenges, including allegations of democratic backsliding and concerns over the treatment of political opponents. The future of Uganda’s political landscape remains uncertain, as the country grapples with the implications of this highly contentious election.