Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s presidential election, securing a seventh term in office after more than four decades in power.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Electoral Commission announced that Museveni, 81, received about 71.65 percent of the votes, while his main opponent, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, trailed with approximately 24.72 percent.
The election was held under a nationwide internet blackout and heightened security presence, leaving many critics questioning the transparency of the process. Technical problems, including the failure of biometric voter identification machines, also caused delays at several polling stations, particularly in urban areas.
Wine rejected the announced results, alleging widespread fraud and manipulation, and calling on Ugandans to peacefully protest until the outcome was changed.
Reports from opposition sources said that security forces conducted raids on his home, prompting him to go into hiding, though police rejected claims that he was detained.
The election also saw reports of violence and deaths related to the contest, and African observers criticised intimidation, arrests, and abductions that they said eroded public trust in the electoral process.
Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 and has since reshaped Uganda’s political system, removing presidential age and term limits to enable extended rule.
