By Muhammad Mamman
President Yoweri Museveni has been officially declared the winner of Uganda’s highly contested presidential election, extending his rule to more than 40 years after securing a seventh five-year term in office, the country’s Electoral Commission announced on Saturday. 
According to the commission’s final tally, the 81-year-old incumbent won with approximately 71.65 per cent of the vote, defeating his closest challenger, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu — popularly known as Bobi Wine — who garnered just under 25 per cent. 
Addressing the media in Kampala, Electoral Commission chair Justice Simon Byabakama confirmed the results after several days of tension and logistical delays that included a nationwide internet blackout during polling. 
The announcement further cements Museveni’s status as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, having first come to power in 1986 after a protracted guerrilla struggle and subsequently abolished presidential age and term limits. 
However, the victory has been marred by controversy, with the opposition and international observers expressing serious concerns over the conduct of the election. Bobi Wine has outright rejected the official results, describing them as “fake” and alleging widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing and intimidation of his supporters. 
Reports also emerged of violence and unrest in parts of the country during and after polling, with conflicting accounts of deaths and clashes between security forces and opposition supporters. 
Bobi Wine — a former pop star turned politician who had campaigned on promises of generational change and democratic reform — claimed to have escaped a raid by security forces on his home, though authorities later denied any abduction. 
Critics argue the election exposed deep fractures in Uganda’s democratic processes, pointing to the internet shutdown and alleged suppression of dissent as factors that undermined transparency. Supporters of Museveni, however, say the polls were largely peaceful and reflect the will of a significant portion of the electorate. 
As regional and international actors digest the outcome, Uganda faces a future shaped by the entrenched leadership of President Museveni and unresolved questions about the robustness of its electoral institutions.
