Uganda’s Electoral Commission has officially declared President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the winner of the January 15 presidential election, extending his rule to nearly half a century. According to the commission, the 81-year-old leader secured 7.9 million votes, representing 71.6 percent of the total ballots cast nationwide.
Museveni’s closest challenger, opposition figure Bobi Wine, garnered 2.7 million votes, accounting for 24.7 percent of the vote. The results were announced following the conclusion of vote counting from across the country, cementing Museveni’s continued grip on power more than four decades after he first assumed office.
However, the announcement has been met with strong resistance from the opposition. Bobi Wine has outrightly rejected the election outcome, labeling the results as “fake.” His rejection comes amid heightened political tension, with reports that he fled his residence following a military raid. Wine has made it clear that he does not recognize Museveni’s victory as declared by the electoral body.
The disputed election result has once again drawn attention to Uganda’s long-standing political divisions and concerns around electoral transparency, as both domestic and international observers closely monitor the unfolding situation.
