Uganda Election 2026: Yoweri Museveni Wins Seventh Term, Defeating Bobi Wine
Kampala, Uganda — Incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been declared the winner of Uganda’s 2026 presidential election, securing a seventh consecutive term in office after first coming to power in 1986. The Electoral Commission (EC) announced that Museveni won approximately 71.65 per cent of the vote, amounting to about 7.9 million votes, significantly outpacing his main challenger, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine.
The official results showed Bobi Wine, a former pop star turned politician, receiving around 24.7 per cent of the vote. The EC’s tally followed the vote held on 15 January 2026 and was confirmed after the full collation of ballots from across the country.
The election extended Museveni’s tenure into its fifth decade, reinforcing his position as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. Supporters of Museveni hailed the results as a mandate to continue hisdevelopment agenda, while many political analysts noted the continuity this victory represents for Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
However, the electoral process and its outcome have been deeply contentious. Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) rejected the results, describing them as “fake” and alleging widespread irregularities, including fraudulent practices and intimidation of opposition agents. Wine and his campaign team also raised concerns about the failure of biometric voter-identification systems and a government-imposed internet blackout during and after the polls — measures authorities said were intended to prevent misinformation.
The election period saw security tensions, with reports of clashes between supporters of different political camps and allegations of heavy state security presence in key areas, including the capital, Kampala. Reuters and other international outlets reported conflicting accounts about the treatment of opposition figures and supporters, including claims that Wine temporarily went into hiding after his residence was raided and allegations denied by police.
International observers and rights groups have expressed continued interest in Uganda’s post-election environment, calling for transparent governance and respect for political freedoms as the country moves forward. The results, and the disputes surrounding them, underscore ongoing debates about democratic processes and institutional trust in Uganda.
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