Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, has accused opposition politicians of attempting to use violence to overturn the outcome of the country’s 2026 general elections, following his victory in the presidential poll.
Museveni, 81, was declared winner with 72 per cent of the votes, securing a seventh term in office, according to official results released after Thursday’s election. His closest challenger, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, polled 25 per cent.
The election has, however, drawn criticism from African election observers and rights groups, who cited widespread repression of opposition figures and a nationwide internet shutdown during the voting period.
Speaking in his victory address on Sunday, Museveni alleged that Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) planned violent attacks on polling units in areas where the party was losing.
“Some of the opposition are wrong and also terrorists,” Museveni said, claiming they were working with foreign interests. He warned that security agencies were aware of their plans and would not allow them to succeed.
The comments came amid uncertainty over the whereabouts of Bobi Wine, who said on Saturday that he had escaped a police raid on his residence and gone into hiding. Police denied carrying out any raid, insisting the opposition leader was still at home, while journalists were prevented from accessing the area.
Bobi Wine has not posted on social media since Saturday, when he described the election as a “blatant theft of the presidential election.”
Although limited internet access was restored late Saturday, the government announced that the ban on social media platforms would remain in place until further notice. Authorities defended the shutdown, saying it was necessary to curb misinformation and prevent incitement to violence.
Uganda has remained largely calm since the announcement of results, though minor protests were reported in parts of Kampala on Saturday night, with security forces firing tear gas to disperse crowds. By Sunday, security presence in the capital had eased, and commercial activities had resumed.
Analysts say Museveni’s victory was widely expected, given his firm grip on state institutions and the security apparatus, though supporters continue to credit him with maintaining relative stability and economic progress since taking power in 1986.
The most serious reports of election-day violence emerged from Butambala in central Uganda, where an opposition lawmaker alleged that at least 10 people were killed by security forces at his residence. Museveni backed police claims that the deaths followed an attempted attack on a ballot-tallying centre and a police station, insisting similar attacks were planned across the country.
Human Rights Watch has accused the Ugandan government of engaging in “brutal repression” of opposition voices ahead of the election.
Another prominent opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, who has challenged Museveni four times in previous elections, is currently facing a treason trial after being abducted in Kenya in 2024 and returned to Uganda.
Meanwhile, African election observer missions, including the African Union, reported cases of intimidation, arrests and abductions during the electoral process, warning that such actions undermined public confidence in the elections.
Museveni Brands Opposition “Terrorists” After Securing Seventh Term in Uganda Election
