Yoweri Museveni has won the presidential race, securing his seventh term, the Ugandan Electoral Commission has declared.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Museveni, was declared the winner on Saturday, January 17, after garnering 71.65 per cent of the total votes cast, translating to 7,946,772 votes in the contentious elections.
"The Commission now proceeds to declare the results of the presidential elections in accordance with section 59 of the Presidential Elections Act," the Commission Chairperson Simon Byabakama said.
"Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 7,946,772 votes. Now therefore, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, having obtained the highest number of votes in the elections and the votes cast in his favour being more than 50 per cent of the votes cast, the Commission hereby declares candidate Museveni the duly elected president of the Republic of Uganda for the next five years," Byabakama added.
According to the country's electoral commission, Museveni's main opponent and National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, came second.
Bobi garnered 24.72 per cent of the total votes cast, translating to 2,741,238 votes. Kyangulanyi had earlier rejected the provisional election results, terming them a 'massive fraud'.
The elections were held on Thursday, January 15, across 146 districts. During the polls, each district also participated in the election of Members of Parliament.
As per the presidential outcome, 11,366,201 votes were cast, translating to 52.50 per cent of the registered voters, with 275,353 votes declared invalid, which amounted to 2.24 per cent of votes cast.
Full Presidential Election Results
- Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (NRM): 7,946,772-72.65%
- Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (NUP): 2,741,238 -24.72%
- Nathana Nandala Mafabi (FDC): 209,039-1.88%
- Mugisha Muntu (ANT): 59,276 -0.53%
- Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party): 31, 666 -0.29%
- Frank Buliira (Revolutionary People’s Party): 45,959 -0.41%
- Robert Kasibante (National Peasants’ Party): 33,440-0.30%
- Joseph Mabirizi (Conservative Party): 23,458 -0.21%
Museveni received support largely among individuals who have benefited from his 40-year rule. On the other hand, Bobi Wine's support was mainly from the youth and urban population who were demanding change.
The president-elect's manifesto, themed 'Protecting the Gains and Securing a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status', focused on consolidating Uganda's previous achievements and transitioning to a high-productivity economy.
Meanwhile, the elections were marred by violence that resulted in the death of at least 12 people, with the Ugandan police confirming only seven deaths by Saturday morning.
Additionally, the country's government has still restricted access to the internet since Tuesday, January 13, making it hard for people to communicate.
