A Ugandan police officer unloads poll containers from a truck at a polling station arrange in entrance of an electoral billboard supporting Uganda’s incumbent president Yoweri Museveni in Kampala on Jan. 15, 2026.
LUIS TATO/AFP through Getty Photographs
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LUIS TATO/AFP through Getty Photographs
LAGOS, Nigeria — Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of presidential elections, extending his four-decade grip on energy.
The vote occurred beneath a government-imposed web blackout and was marred by studies of lethal violence and widespread intimidation.
The principle opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, condemned the polls and mentioned he was in hiding after police raided his house.
On Saturday, after a 48-hour wait following the election, Uganda’s Electoral Fee chairman introduced that Museveni had gained, securing his seventh time period since first coming to energy in 1986.
Museveni gained with 71.65% of the vote, totaling 7,944,772 votes, whereas Robert Kyagulanyi, also called Bobi Wine, of the opposition Nationwide Unity Platform acquired 24.7%, or 2,741,238 votes.
Simon Byabakama, head of Uganda’s Electoral Fee, made the announcement.
“Having obtained the best variety of votes within the election, and with votes solid in his favor exceeding 50 % of the legitimate votes, the fee hereby declares the elected President: Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni.”
Museveni, 81, one in every of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, has now secured an unprecedented seventh time period. The election has been extensively condemned by rights teams, citing the web shutdown, election violence, restrictions on opposition campaigning, and the barring of a number of worldwide election observers.
Wine, 43, mentioned police stormed his house late Friday night. In a submit on X, he mentioned he had managed to flee and accused authorities of fabricating the outcomes.
“At the moment, I’m not at house, though my spouse and different relations stay beneath home arrest,” he wrote. “I do know that these criminals are searching for me in all places, and I’m attempting my greatest to maintain protected.”
Uganda opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine, arrives along with his spouse to solid their votes, on election day in Kampala. on Jan. 15, 2026.
Brian Inganga/AP
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Brian Inganga/AP
Wine additionally claimed dozens of supporters from his occasion had been killed by police, together with no less than 10 who had been monitoring the vote rely. Police disputed the declare, saying seven individuals had been killed after attacking a police station.
Addressing the media Saturday, in Kampala, the top of the East African Group Observers Mission Edda Makabagwiza additionally expressed concern.
“The Uganda communication fee issued a directive to droop public web entry which had a direct impression on the compilation and evaluation of subject studies from our observers.”
Uganda has one of many youngest populations on the earth. An amazing majority of its 50 million individuals are beneath age 40 and have solely ever recognized one president.
In keeping with a journalist in Kampala who spoke to NPR on situation of anonymity for concern of reprisals, there’s a heavy army presence within the capital. In some areas, safety officers had been seen forcing store homeowners to shut, and the streets are largely abandoned, with many residents staying indoors amid uncertainty over what comes subsequent.
