Uganda's long-standing leader, Yoweri Museveni, has secured another five years in power, extending his rule to over four decades, following an election marred by allegations of fraud and a violent state response to opposition protests.
A Contested Victory and Opposition Walkout
On Saturday 17 January 2026, the electoral commission declared a landslide victory for the 81-year-old incumbent, awarding him 71.65% of the vote. The announcement at the National Tally Centre was underscored by the roar of a military helicopter overhead. While ruling party supporters cheered, the opposition labelled the process illegitimate.
Bobi Wine, the main opposition candidate, was officially credited with 24.72%, a significant drop from the 34.8% he was attributed in the 2021 poll. His lawyer, Benjamin Katana, the only associate permitted to witness the official count, refused to certify the results and staged a walkout.
"This electoral process has been reduced to a fraudulent affair," Katana stated outside the tally centre. "It is aimed at short-changing the people of Uganda and subverting their will." He invoked the constitutional right to protest, echoing Wine's call for supporters to reject the outcome.
Security Crackdown and Casualties
The weeks leading to and following the vote saw a heavy deployment of military and police across the country, particularly in the capital, Kampala. Prime Minister Robinah Nabanjja defended the security measures, stating opponents had promised "havoc" and it was the state's duty to keep order.
This justification directly references the supporters of Bobi Wine, who have faced a severe crackdown. Police reported that at least seven people were killed in central Uganda on Friday as votes were tallied and disputes erupted.
Human rights observers condemned the climate of fear. Dr Livingstone Sewanya of the Human Rights Initiative noted from the tally centre that freedoms of expression and assembly were "at their lowest," with any organisation deemed subversive.
A Capital Gripped by Football, Not Politics
Despite the high political stakes, an unusual calm descended on parts of Kampala. With the state maintaining an internet shutdown, residents gathered around neighbourhood television screens not for election results, but for the Manchester derby football match.
The Premier League fixture provided a suspenseful distraction from what many saw as a foregone political conclusion. This surreal scene highlighted the disconnect between the official electoral narrative and the lived reality of citizens under a prolonged security operation and information blackout.
As President Museveni's National Resistance Movement celebrates his renewed mandate, the opposition and rights groups warn that the disputed poll and its violent aftermath pose a serious threat to Uganda's democratic integrity.
