Museveni Secures Lead in Uganda Vote
The Electoral Commission's initial count gives the incumbent 75.38% of ballots cast, while his primary opponent—Robert Kyagulanyi, 43, better known as Bobi Wine—trails significantly at 20.71%. The former pop star-turned-opposition leader has transformed into Museveni's most formidable political adversary.
This margin represents a dramatic shift from 2021's contest, when Museveni claimed 58.6% against Wine's 34.8%.
Official final tallies are anticipated Saturday in this high-stakes electoral showdown. A runoff becomes mandatory if no contender secures an absolute majority exceeding 50%.
Museveni's electoral coalition draws heavily from constituencies that have prospered during his four-decade presidency. His campaign centered on "Protecting the Gains," emphasizing governmental stability and continuous progress. Conversely, Wine attracts overwhelming backing from younger demographics and metropolitan areas demanding transformative leadership.
Speaking to media, Wine reported substantial military deployments surrounding his residence. Kampala remains eerily quiet yet charged with tension, as commercial establishments stay shuttered and streets lie empty.
Benjamin Katana, a high-ranking official within Wine's opposition movement, questioned the Electoral Commission's district-level vote counting procedures, stating there is a lack of clarity about the way votes were tallied in the districts announced by the Electoral Commission, raising questions about the integrity of the process.
Katana informed media that there has been voter intimidation, a security apparatus hostile to polling agents belonging to the opposition and a systematic failure of electronic biometric voting machines -- all pointing to concerns about delivering a free and fair election.
The campaign period witnessed extensive violent incidents.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the government's growing repression of opposition in the run-up to the election.
Museveni acknowledged Thursday that he also experienced technical failures of the voting machines at his polling station. Multiple citizens confirmed to media they cast paper ballots following equipment malfunctions.
Whether these technical breakdowns connect to nationwide internet disruptions remains undetermined.
Uganda experienced complete internet shutdown Wednesday preceding the Jan. 15 general elections. Communications authority director Nyombi Thembo said the measure is necessary to mitigate threats to national security during the election.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly charged Museveni with leveraging governmental resources to consolidate authority, though he has rejected such claims, attributing his extended tenure to genuine public endorsement.
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