Uganda’s long-serving President, Yoweri Museveni, is heading for another term in office after taking a commanding lead in Thursday’s presidential election, even as his main rival, opposition figure Bobi Wine, rejected the results and alleged widespread fraud.
Preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission showed Museveni securing about 74 per cent of the vote, while Wine trails with 23 per cent, based on returns from 81 per cent of polling stations.
However, Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) party have questioned the credibility of the process. In a series of social media posts, the party claimed that a helicopter landed at Wine’s residence in Kampala and that he was “forcibly taken away to an unknown destination”.
Wine’s son later alleged that both his parents had been seized by the military.
These claims could not be independently verified due to an ongoing internet shutdown. Local police told the BBC they were unaware of any such incident.
Earlier, Wine said he had been placed under house arrest, accusing authorities of surrounding his home with security forces after he alleged vote-rigging.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told local broadcaster NBS that Wine, as a presidential contender, was “a person of interest”, adding that the heavy security presence was for his own protection.
Some local journalists said they were prevented by security agents from accessing Wine’s residence in the Magere area of Kampala.
Addressing supporters, Wine urged them to ignore what he described as “fake results”, insisting that authorities had been “stealing the vote”. He did not present evidence for the claim, and the government has not formally responded.
Meanwhile, violence was reported in parts of the country following the vote.
At least seven opposition supporters were killed late Thursday in Butambala district, about 55 kilometres south-west of Kampala, according to disputed accounts that only emerged on Friday due to the internet blackout.
MP Muwanga Kivumbi of the NUP told AFP that soldiers and police fired tear gas and live ammunition at crowds gathered at his home.
“Ten were killed inside my house,” he claimed.
Human rights activist Agather Atuhaire corroborated the account to Reuters.
However, police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe disputed the claims, saying officers acted in self-defence after “a group of NUP goons” attacked a police station and attempted to overrun a tallying centre.
She said the group was armed with machetes, axes and matches, confirming that at least seven people were killed.
The United States Embassy in Kampala later issued a security alert to its citizens, citing reports that security forces were “using tear gas and firing into the air to disperse gatherings”.
Electoral Commission chairman Simon Byabakama said the internet shutdown did not affect vote counting, noting that results were transmitted through a “private system”.
“We are on course to announce the winner of the presidential election within 48 hours. Before 5pm tomorrow, we shall have the final results,” he said.
The election followed a tense and often violent campaign, with Museveni, 81, seeking a seventh term since first taking power in 1986. His challenger, Wine, 43, a pop star-turned-politician, campaigned on promises of reform and anti-corruption, while Museveni portrayed himself as the guarantor of stability.
Ahead of the polls, the UN Human Rights Office warned the election would be marked by “widespread repression and intimidation”.
