Bobi Wine Rejects Uganda Election Results, Alleges Violence

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has rejected the result of Thursday’s presidential election. He said the vote was marked by violence, threats, and cheating.

Uganda’s electoral commission announced that President Yoweri Museveni, aged 81, won the election. The result gives him another five years in office.

According to the official results, Museveni received 72 percent of the votes. Bobi Wine, his main challenger, got 25 percent, the BBC reported.

Museveni first came to power in 1986 as a rebel leader. He has now won seven presidential elections and has ruled Uganda for nearly four decades.

After the announcement, Bobi Wine said at least 21 people were killed during election-related violence. However, authorities have confirmed only seven deaths so far.

Wine accused security forces of using violence to silence opposition supporters. He called on his followers to protest peacefully against the election result.

In a Facebook post, Wine said he narrowly escaped a night-time raid by security agents. He also said he was forced to go into hiding.

Earlier, Wine claimed he was under house arrest. The police have not confirmed this claim.

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said Wine’s movement was restricted for security reasons. He said Wine’s home was declared an area of security concern.

Rusoke explained that access to some areas had been controlled to prevent violence. He said the police wanted to stop people from gathering and causing chaos.

Internet services have been shut down across Uganda since Tuesday. This has made it hard to confirm reports from different parts of the country.

The United Nations and the African Union, led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, have criticised the internet shutdown and reports of arrests and intimidation during the election period.