Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has secured his seventh term in office with over 70% of the vote, according to official results that have been met with widespread skepticism by opposition leader Bobi Wine.
Wine's team claims that voting took place under a "fake result" and accused polling staff of being kidnapped, while also alleging that members of security forces raided his home, cutting off power and destroying CCTV cameras. The musician-turned-politician is now calling for peaceful protests to pressure authorities into releasing what he calls the "rightful results."
His claims are not unique as Ugandan police had stated earlier that Wine was not under arrest but restricted an area to prevent unrest. However, Wine alleges security forces harassed him and his supporters using teargas.
The election took place amidst a backdrop of restrictions on civil liberties and a lack of trust in the electoral process. Many have questioned the legitimacy of Uganda's ongoing democratic transition, which has been marred by allegations of voter manipulation, intimidation, and rigging.
Critics like Freedom House, which labels Uganda as "not free," say that while elections take place, they are rarely seen as credible. As Museveni has long held power – now for a record 40 years – the country has struggled to transition peacefully since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1962.
The opposition's concerns were compounded by the failure of biometric voter ID machines, which led to delays in cities and the widespread use of manual lists of voters. Wine accused this process of allowing "massive ballot stuffing" as well as favoritism towards Museveni's party.
In a country plagued with security force abuses and lack of human rights protections, Wine's assertions only add to fears for the safety of his supporters.
Wine's team claims that voting took place under a "fake result" and accused polling staff of being kidnapped, while also alleging that members of security forces raided his home, cutting off power and destroying CCTV cameras. The musician-turned-politician is now calling for peaceful protests to pressure authorities into releasing what he calls the "rightful results."
His claims are not unique as Ugandan police had stated earlier that Wine was not under arrest but restricted an area to prevent unrest. However, Wine alleges security forces harassed him and his supporters using teargas.
The election took place amidst a backdrop of restrictions on civil liberties and a lack of trust in the electoral process. Many have questioned the legitimacy of Uganda's ongoing democratic transition, which has been marred by allegations of voter manipulation, intimidation, and rigging.
Critics like Freedom House, which labels Uganda as "not free," say that while elections take place, they are rarely seen as credible. As Museveni has long held power – now for a record 40 years – the country has struggled to transition peacefully since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1962.
The opposition's concerns were compounded by the failure of biometric voter ID machines, which led to delays in cities and the widespread use of manual lists of voters. Wine accused this process of allowing "massive ballot stuffing" as well as favoritism towards Museveni's party.
In a country plagued with security force abuses and lack of human rights protections, Wine's assertions only add to fears for the safety of his supporters.
i just got back from japan and omg the food was insane 
i tried this crazy spicy ramen that almost killed me 
but in a good way? anyway, have you guys tried making ramen at home? it's like, super easy 
just get some noodles, broth, and seasonings and you're good to go! 
u mean wine is gonna start protesting now? and what's up with him saying polling staff were kidnapped? sounds fishy 2 me 
but at the same time, can't we just give ppl a break? like they're not even sure what's going on w/ those biometric machines 
idk how much more of this i can take, already feelin like ugnada's election process is a joke 
but Bobi Wine's team is saying there's some serious tampering going on. It's hard not to wonder if security forces are just trying to intimidate him and his supporters 
. The fact that they allegedly raided his home, cut off power, and destroyed CCTV cameras? That's just low-key threatening 
.
. And with Uganda's history of questionable elections... it's not like this is the first time these kinds of allegations have come up 
. I just hope everyone stays safe and that there's some real change happening in this country 
.
my friend's cousin was in Uganda for a concert or something and he said the whole country was on edge, like what's going on over there? 
wine's right to be skeptical tho, 70% is crazy high for anyone but the most popular guy in the country 
biometric voter ID machines are a joke too, can't believe they didn't work properly in cities what's next, manual counting in rural areas? 
i mean who needs freedom or fair elections when you've got a strongman in charge? 
I mean, who wants to live in a place where you can't even trust the voting system? It's like, what's next? They're gonna tell us who's good and who's bad? I don't get why they gotta be so secretive about everything. And those poor people, Bobi Wine's supporters, being harassed by security forces... that's just not cool. Can't we all just have a peaceful election without drama? 
It's like, democracy is supposed to be about choice and freedom, but in Uganda it feels more like a joke.
it's no wonder opposition leader bobi wine is skeptical about the whole thing...70% of the vote sounds fishy to me 
these biometric voter ID machines failed in cities because they were never reliable in the first place 
it's like museveni just found a way to grease the system even more 
I'm not surprised by Bobi Wine's claims about the election results 
. The biometric voter ID machines failing and manual lists being used is a huge red flag 
. And with Uganda's history of democratic struggles, it's hard to trust that this election was free and fair 
. I do hope Wine's protests are peaceful though 
. We need to see some real change in this country, but the opposition's concerns should be taken seriously 
. What will it take for Uganda to finally get its democracy act together?
. Can't we just have a free and fair election without all these shenanigans? And what about those security forces using teargas against peaceful protesters? That's just scary 
. How can we expect to move forward when there's no accountability for past wrongdoings? It's like, you're stuck in this cycle of fear and mistrust... it's a shame 
. The biometric voter ID machines are a joke too - I mean, who needs to be stuck in line for hours just to vote? It's like they want people to not show up and rig the whole thing.
wine's claims r valid though 
cant trust these elections 
and its getting old 
voters gotta stay woke 
especially when they dont work manual lists r just as bad 
wine's right to protest is what matters most 
the whole situation r just soooo suspicious 
The fact that Wine's team is accusing polling staff of being kidnapped and security forces harassing them using teargas is super concerning 
.
. And what really gets me is that Wine's claims aren't being taken seriously by anyone 
.