Uganda’s Museveni Wins Seventh Presidential Term

Uganda’s Electoral Commission has declared President Yoweri Museveni the winner of the country’s presidential election with 71.65 per cent of the vote, securing his seventh term in office.

The commission announced the results on Saturday, with Museveni receiving 7,946,772 votes. His main challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform, came second with 2,741,238 votes, representing nearly 20 per cent of the total votes cast.

The election, held on Thursday, January 15, was conducted under an internet blackout and heavy military deployment. Kyagulanyi rejected the provisional results, describing them as massive fraud.

At least seven people were killed overnight in Butambala, about 55 kilometres southwest of Kampala, during post-election violence, according to local police. Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe said security forces responded in self-defence after opposition supporters attacked a police station and vote-tallying centre.

The vote was marked by widespread technical challenges, with biometric voter verification machines failing at multiple polling stations, including where Museveni cast his ballot in Rwakitura. The Electoral Commission instructed officials to use the national voters’ register as a backup when the machines failed.

Museveni, 81, has been in power since 1986. The election was held amid criticism from the United Nations human rights office, which described the environment as one of widespread repression and intimidation.

SOURCE: UBC