President Yoweri Museveni has taken a commanding early lead in Uganda’s presidential election, according to provisional results released by the country’s Electoral Commission, amid reports of violence, alleged irregularities and the reported house arrest of his main challenger, Bobi Wine.
Tallies from nearly half of the polling stations showed Museveni securing 76.25 per cent of the vote, while Wine, a pop star-turned-politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, trailed with 19.85 per cent.
The remaining votes were shared among six other candidates, the commission said on Friday.
Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, told reporters after casting his ballot on Thursday that he expected to win with about 80 per cent of the vote “if there’s no cheating”.
A victory would extend his tenure to a seventh term, cementing one of the longest presidencies on the African continent.
However, the election has been overshadowed by allegations of fraud, a nationwide internet blackout and growing reports of violence.
Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) party accused authorities of widespread manipulation of the process and voter suppression.
Late on Thursday, the NUP claimed that security forces had surrounded Wine’s residence in the capital, Kampala, effectively placing him under house arrest. The party said soldiers and police had blocked access to the house as results began to trickle in.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, however, told Reuters that he was not aware of Wine being placed under house arrest.
The United Nations human rights office had earlier warned that the election was taking place in an atmosphere of “widespread repression and intimidation,” raising concerns about the credibility of the process.
Voting was also disrupted by delays at several polling units, with some stations opening up to four hours late due to what electoral officials described as technical challenges.
Fears of post-election unrest have been heightened by recent political violence in neighbouring Tanzania and Kenya, as well as Uganda’s history of disputed elections and the absence of a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence more than six decades ago.
Although Wine had called on his supporters to protest during Thursday’s voting, no major demonstrations were recorded during polling hours. However, violence was reported overnight in Butambala town, about 55 kilometres southwest of Kampala.
Human rights activist Agather Atuhaire alleged that soldiers and police killed at least 10 opposition supporters who had gathered at the home of opposition lawmaker Muwanga Kivumbi to monitor early results.
A local police spokesperson disputed the claim, saying that opposition supporters described as “goons” attacked a police station with machetes, axes and boxes of matches. She said police opened fire in self-defence, resulting in deaths and injuries.
As counting continues, domestic and international observers are closely watching developments in the East African nation, where tensions remain high over the conduct and outcome of the presidential election.
