KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — On Saturday, Ugandan police denied claims that the main opposition candidate in this week’s election, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, commonly known as Bobi Wine, had been arrested. The police described the reports as "deceitful and inciteful," urging citizens to maintain peace while awaiting the election results.
The general election took place on Thursday amid an ongoing internet shutdown lasting four days. The military was heavily deployed across the country, leading to sporadic violence as citizens protested the parliamentary election results in various regions. Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, aged 81, is running for a seventh term and, according to provisional results, he garnered more than 70% of the votes. In contrast, Bobi Wine, who has transitioned from a musician to a politician, currently holds 20% of the votes and has characterized the announced results as "fake," encouraging his supporters to disregard them.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke asserted that Bobi Wine was "not under arrest" despite claims from his National Unity Platform party. Rusoke mentioned that while Wine was free to leave his home, there was "controlled access" to prevent individuals from gathering and inciting violence at the residence. "It should not surprise you when we have a pickup or two near the residence of Kyagulanyi," he stated.
As constitutionally required, Ugandan electoral officials are scheduled to announce the final presidential results on Saturday. The chairperson of the national electoral commission had communicated on Friday that they were on track to declare the results by the end of the day. However, the voting process faced delays due to late material deliveries to polling stations and failures of biometric machines.
President Museveni has agreed with the electoral commission's decision to revert to paper voter registration records. Conversely, Bobi Wine has alleged widespread fraud, claiming incidents of "massive ballot stuffing" and the abduction of polling agents from his party, which he contends has provided an unfair advantage to the ruling party. Throughout the election campaign, security forces have maintained a significant presence. Wine indicated that authorities had followed him and harassed his supporters, even resorting to the use of tear gas against them. Due to concerns for his safety, he campaigned while wearing a flak jacket and helmet.
Prior to the election, Wine reported on social media platform X that he could not leave his house. The following day, his party claimed that he had been arrested and taken away by an army helicopter. It is worth noting that Uganda has not experienced a peaceful transfer of presidential power since its independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.
Additionally, veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who has run for president four times, remains imprisoned after being charged with treason in February 2025. This ongoing political tension in Uganda highlights the challenges facing opposition candidates and civil liberties in the nation as the public awaits the final election results.
