Museveni wins 7th term in Uganda election, calls opposition 'terrorists'
Yoweri Museveni (81) won a seventh term in Uganda's 2026 election with 72% of votes, official results showed on Sunday. The incumbent president immediately declared the opposition, led by Bobi Wine (25%), as 'terrorists' who planned violence to overturn results. Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, also accused them of working with 'foreigners and homosexual groups' and warned: 'We know what you are doing.'
The poll was heavily criticised by African Union observers for 'brutal repression', with opposition figures abducted and internet blocked for days. Bobi Wine, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, went into hiding after claiming police raided his home on Saturday. Police denied the raid and blocked journalists from his residence. Wine has not posted online since calling the election 'blatant theft'.
Although the election remained largely peaceful with reduced security on Sunday, the government banned social media indefinitely. The most serious violence was in Butambala, where an opposition MP reported 10 deaths—police claimed these followed a planned attack on a ballot tallying centre. Human Rights Watch condemned 'brutal repression' before the vote, including the 2024 abduction of another opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, in Kenya.
Museveni’s victory speech highlighted Uganda's stability compared to recent unrest in Tanzania during elections. Do you believe a landslide win with 72% is credible given the internet blackout, opposition repression, and observer criticism, or does this reflect genuine support across Uganda?