In power since 1986, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has secured a new term. His main rival in the presidential election has alleged fraud and violence, amid an internet shutdown and failures of biometric voting machines.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected for a seventh term, extending his rule to more than forty years. According to the electoral commission, he won 71.65% of the vote.

His main opponent, 43-year-old former singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, received 24.72%. None of the six other candidates exceeded 2% of the vote. Official turnout was 52.5%.

The election was marked by a nationwide internet shutdown imposed on Tuesday. Officials said the measure was meant to prevent disinformation and violence. The move was denounced by the United Nations and several observers.

The campaign was marred by incidents, including the disruption of opposition rallies. Numerous supporters of Bobi Wine were arrested, and Wine said he had evaded a police raid at his home.

In a social media post, the opposition figure said security forces were looking for him. He added that his wife and other family members remained under surveillance. Police did not confirm the claims. However, spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said Bobi Wine’s movements were restricted because his home was in an area considered sensitive for security reasons.

Technical difficulties also affected the vote, as biometric voting machines failed at several polling stations, leading officials to use paper registers. Wine also denounced “massive ballot box stuffing and the abduction of his polling agents.”

Wine said election-related violence caused 21 deaths, while authorities put the figure at seven. He has called for peaceful demonstrations and the restoration of internet access.

Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power since its independence in 1962.

Olivier de Souza