Tinotenda Hove – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of yet another disputed election, a result that extends his grip on power to nearly four decades amid widespread allegations of repression, violence and a deeply flawed electoral process.

The electoral commission said Museveni secured 72% of the vote, far ahead of opposition leader Bobi Wine, who was credited with 25%. Wine immediately rejected the outcome, denouncing the announcement as “fake results” produced through “ballot stuffing” and intimidation of voters.

Although African Union observers said they saw “no evidence of ballot stuffing,” their assessment was overshadowed by serious concerns raised about the broader environment in which the vote was conducted. Reports of violence, arrests and restrictions on basic freedoms dominated the days leading up to and following the poll.

Museveni, now 81, first seized power in 1986 as a rebel leader and has since presided over seven elections, repeatedly changing laws to remove age and term limits. Critics say the latest vote further entrenches a system that prioritises regime survival over democratic renewal.

The campaign period was marked by bloodshed. Wine, a 43-year-old former pop star turned politician, said at least 21 people were killed across the country in election-related violence, while authorities have acknowledged only seven deaths. The discrepancy has fuelled accusations of a cover-up.

Adding to the controversy, the government imposed a nationwide internet blackout days before the vote, cutting off access to social media and messaging platforms. Authorities claimed the move was necessary to curb misinformation and prevent unrest, but the UN human rights office condemned the shutdown as “deeply worrying.” Wine has demanded that internet access be immediately restored.

Even senior international observers expressed alarm. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who led the African Union observer mission, urged authorities to avoid heavy-handed tactics, saying “the government should refrain from the suspension of internet access” during elections. He also criticised “reports of intimidation, arrest and abductions,” warning that they “instilled fear and eroded public trust in the electoral process.”

Tensions escalated further after Wine’s party claimed he had been abducted from his home in Kampala, an allegation police denied. Wine later said he had evaded a night-time security raid and gone into hiding, after previously stating that he was under house arrest.

Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said Wine’s movements were restricted because his residence was a “security interest” area.
“We have controlled access to areas which are security hotspots,” Rusoke said. “We cannot allow people to use some places to gather and cause chaos.”

Wine, who says he speaks for Uganda’s youthful population, had campaigned on promises to tackle corruption and overhaul state institutions. In contrast, Museveni portrayed himself as the only guarantor of stability in a country with a troubled past, a narrative critics say is used to justify repression.

Six other candidates took part in the election, but none received more than 2% of the vote. Official turnout was put at 52.5%, a figure opposition figures argue reflects voter apathy and fear rather than genuine participation.

With opposition activities disrupted, supporters assaulted and detained, and information tightly controlled, Museveni’s latest victory has done little to silence critics who argue that Uganda’s elections have become exercises in managing outcomes rather than expressions of the people’s will.