Uganda Election commission declares incumbent Yoweri Museveni 'winner'

Following the tense presidential election in Uganda, the election commission on January 16 declared incumbent Yoweri Museveni as the winner of the presidential election with a 62 per cent lead, extending his 35 years of rule as he assumes the sixth term in office. Opposition former pop star singer, rival Bobi Wine, however, rejected the outcome alleging vote-rigging as the ballots were cast despite the internet outage for at least 3 days and without observers. In a statement, Ugandan Ambassador Natalie E. Brown expressed “profound disappointment” as the US embassy in Uganda cancelled election observations after accreditations were denied. The 76-year-old Museveni was declared the winner with a ‘majority’ lead, which, Wine decried as a "complete sham”. 

According to sources of Associated Press, political contender Wine alleged that Museveni had ordered the state military to enter his home ahead of the elections, adding that he was “in a serious trouble.” He added that the sitting government-ordered internet blackout, following which, Museveni had a wide lead.

Wine tweeted, “Every legal option is on the table to challenge the election’s official results, including peaceful protests, referring himself as the “president-elect.” Meanwhile, after the military barged Wine’s house, his associate Jeffrey Smith of the nonprofit Vanguard Africa, tweeted, “Bobi and colleagues are safe, for now, following military breaching their fence and entering their property.” Meanwhile, in a statement to AP, military spokeswoman Brig. Gen. Flavia Byekwaso said, “it’s not true”, scrapping the election rig reports. “We only have a presence of soldiers in the general area of Magere,” Byekwaso said.

Read: Uganda Bans Social Media Ahead Of Turbulent Presidential Election, Violent Clashes Spike

Read: Leading Uganda Opposition Figure Bobi Wine Arrested

Defeated dictator

While the Ugandan elections were tainted by protests and the widespread violence with security forces deployed across several cities to maintain law and order, voting continued in the capital, Kampala. Justice Simon Byabakama, Uganda Electoral Commission Chairman said in a statement, “You [citizens] can turn up or you can't turn up if you don't want, it's too bad that you have said you are not coming to participate.” He added, Uganda’s  elections “must take place as planned and organized.”

As protests ensued across the African continent, 38-year-old singer-turned-lawmaker Wine declared himself a ‘winner’, adding that he had defeated the corrupt dictator. However, officially, Uganda’s electoral commission declared Museveni received 58 percent ballots and Wine 34 percent of the total 52 percent turnout. The United States ambassador to Africa condemned Uganda’s electoral process, labelling it as “fundamentally flawed.”

[Security forces patrol the streets of Kampala, Uganda. Credit: AP]

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