Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has secured his seventh term in office with an overwhelming 71.65% of the vote, despite a contentious election campaign marred by reports of widespread repression and intimidation. The United Nations had warned that the election process was plagued by "repression and intimidation," including a crackdown on opposition rallies.
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, was widely expected to win, but his victory comes at a time when many Ugandans are already reeling from the aftermath of the election. Opposition leader Bobi Wine received just 24.72% of the vote, sparking allegations that the results were rigged.
The opposition party's claims of "massive ballot stuffing" and reports of police and army raids on their rallies have raised concerns about the fairness of the election process. The National Unity Platform, the party led by Bobi Wine, has called the results a "sham," while former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan described them as "intimidation, arrest, and abductions" that eroded public trust in the electoral process.
The internet blackout on Election Day also raised concerns about the ability of observers to monitor the vote. The Ugandan opposition reported at least 10 people killed by police in an attack on a local lawmaker's home, while security forces repeatedly interrupted Bobi Wine's rallies with tear gas and bullets.
Despite these challenges, many Ugandans still praise Museveni for his role in ending Uganda's post-independence chaos and overseeing rapid economic growth. However, the opposition claims that the president has used his power to silence critics and suppress dissent.
The mood among Museveni supporters was subdued at a rally in Kampala, where activists were ordered to be more animated if they wanted to receive free food. The government's efforts to suppress dissent have raised concerns about the future of democracy in Uganda.
The outcome of the election has been met with skepticism by international observers, who warn that it may undermine trust in the electoral process and set a worrying precedent for other elections in Africa. As one opposition activist noted, "We are not going to let them do this. We will continue to resist."
Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, was widely expected to win, but his victory comes at a time when many Ugandans are already reeling from the aftermath of the election. Opposition leader Bobi Wine received just 24.72% of the vote, sparking allegations that the results were rigged.
The opposition party's claims of "massive ballot stuffing" and reports of police and army raids on their rallies have raised concerns about the fairness of the election process. The National Unity Platform, the party led by Bobi Wine, has called the results a "sham," while former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan described them as "intimidation, arrest, and abductions" that eroded public trust in the electoral process.
The internet blackout on Election Day also raised concerns about the ability of observers to monitor the vote. The Ugandan opposition reported at least 10 people killed by police in an attack on a local lawmaker's home, while security forces repeatedly interrupted Bobi Wine's rallies with tear gas and bullets.
Despite these challenges, many Ugandans still praise Museveni for his role in ending Uganda's post-independence chaos and overseeing rapid economic growth. However, the opposition claims that the president has used his power to silence critics and suppress dissent.
The mood among Museveni supporters was subdued at a rally in Kampala, where activists were ordered to be more animated if they wanted to receive free food. The government's efforts to suppress dissent have raised concerns about the future of democracy in Uganda.
The outcome of the election has been met with skepticism by international observers, who warn that it may undermine trust in the electoral process and set a worrying precedent for other elections in Africa. As one opposition activist noted, "We are not going to let them do this. We will continue to resist."
I'm so worried about what's gonna happen next in Uganda 
. Museveni winning like that is wild 
and it makes me think the election was totally rigged 
. 24.72% is a super small margin, you know? 
It's like, how did Bobi Wine even get that many votes? 
The internet blackout on Election Day was crazy 
, I feel so bad for all the people who couldn't vote 
. And those reports of police and army raids on opposition rallies? 
That's not okay at all 
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, but at what cost? 
. The government's efforts to suppress dissent are so sketchy 
, it makes me wanna jump up and down with rage 
! 
71.65% is insane! The opposition only got 24.72%, that's like a landslide lol 
. I'm surprised anyone was even allowed to run against Museveni, considering how long he's been in power 
. You'd think there would be more checks and balances in place, but I guess the Ugandan government is just gonna keep on keeping on 
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. That's a pretty low number considering how much hype around this election there was 
. It's like people were either too scared to vote or just didn't think it mattered 
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also, what about all these reports of police and army raids on opposition rallies? sounds like a recipe for disaster to me 
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the opposition party's claims of "massive ballot stuffing" might be legit, but only time will tell 
what I do know is that Museveni's got a lot to answer for with all those human rights abuses 
. I'm not saying Museveni isn't doing some good stuff for Uganda, but at the same time, you gotta have checks in place so everyone's voice is heard 
. It's weird that people are being super quiet about this election result... where's the excitement? 
Where's the love? 
Can't wait to see how this plays out in the long run 
And now the opposition party is saying that they're going to keep resisting, but it feels like they might be up against an army. I don't know, maybe they'll find a way to push back, but for now it just feels kinda scary... 
. The UN warned about repression and intimidation, and it looks like they weren't wrong at all 
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. However, if he's using his power to silence critics and suppress dissent, that's just not okay 
. As one opposition activist said, "We are not going to let them do this." That's the spirit, fam! 
. Museveni has been in power for way too long and his win just feels like business as usual 
. The reports of repression, intimidation, and police brutality are just shocking 
. It's not exactly a recipe for a healthy democracy 
. I know there are still many Ugandans who support Museveni, but for those who don't, it's hard to see their voices being heard in the first place 
. Can't we just hope that they can find a way to make this election process more inclusive and free? 
. 71% of the vote? That's just not natural 
. Museveni's been in power for ages, and you can bet your bottom dollar he's got some strings to pull behind the scenes 
. I mean, who needs free food if they're not going to get their voices heard? 
This whole thing just feels like more of the same - ruling elite silencing dissenting voices 
. Mark my words, this is gonna have some major repercussions for democracy in Uganda 
. But seriously, it's a bit concerning that they had to crack down on opposition rallies and stuff to get people to vote for him. It's like, yeah okay, you've been in power for ages and all, but can't you just let the people decide without being all dictatorial? 
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. It's just another example of how hard it is for people to speak out against Museveni without getting punished.
. But at what cost? It feels like the opposition is just getting squished 
its like, they're trying to silence everyone who speaks out against museveni