Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has opened a wide commanding early lead in Thursday’s presidential election, according to provisional figures released by the country’s Electoral Commission.
Results announced on Friday indicate that Museveni has secured about 76 per cent of the votes counted so far, with returns received from roughly 45 per cent of polling stations nationwide.
Opposition candidate Bobi Wine is trailing with approximately 20 per cent of the votes, based on the same preliminary data.
The election was conducted amid heightened tension following a campaign period marred by sporadic violence. Museveni, 81, is seeking to extend his decades-long rule with a seventh term in office.
Bobi Wine, a former musician-turned-politician, has alleged widespread electoral malpractice during the voting process, which took place under an internet shutdown. He did not present evidence to support the claims, and the government has yet to issue an official response.
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Late on Thursday, Wine’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), claimed that security operatives had surrounded his residence in Kampala, effectively restricting his movement.
“Security personnel have unlawfully breached the perimeter fence and are now erecting tents inside the compound,” the party said in a post on X. Authorities have not commented on the allegation.
Wine faced similar restrictions following the 2021 presidential election, when he was reportedly confined to his home for several days after the polls.
Meanwhile, voting on Thursday was disrupted in several areas, with reports of delays lasting up to four hours at some polling units due to late delivery of voting materials and technical issues with biometric voter verification machines.
