Museveni Opens Early Lead in Uganda’s Presidential Election Results

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has taken a commanding lead in preliminary results released on Friday by the country’s Electoral Commission.

Partial tallies from nearly half of polling stations show Museveni securing 76.25 percent of the vote. His closest rival, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, trails with 19.85 percent, while the remaining votes are divided among six other candidates.

After casting his ballot on Thursday, Museveni told reporters he expected to win by a wide margin, predicting an outcome of around 80 percent “if there is no cheating.”

The 81-year-old leader has ruled Uganda for more than four decades, having come to power in 1986. The election is widely seen as a pivotal moment for the country, representing a contest between long-standing leadership and calls for political change.

The voting took place under heightened tension and an internet shutdown, following a campaign period marked by sporadic violence and restrictions on opposition activities.

Meanwhile, Bobi Wine has accused authorities of widespread electoral malpractice. On Thursday, he urged his supporters to protest, although no large-scale demonstrations had been reported at the time of writing.

Late on Thursday, Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party claimed on social media that security forces had surrounded his residence in the capital, Kampala, effectively placing him under house arrest. Authorities have not publicly responded to the allegation.

Election officials say vote counting is ongoing, with full results expected in the coming days.