Museveni Takes Early Lead In Uganda’s Presidential Polls

Posted by African Examiner African News, East/Central Africa, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, January 15th, 2021

By Niyi Adeyi, with Agency Reports

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The incumbent Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has taken an early lead in the country’s Presidential election.

The development is according to preliminary results released Friday morning by the electoral commission.

However, his main rival, Bobi Wine, is contesting the results, arguing that he had proof that the poll had been marred by fraud.

With 29.4 percent of votes from Thursday’s ballot counted, President Museveni had won 1,852,263 votes or 63.9 percent while the main opposition candidate, Wine had 821,874 or 28.4 percent.

The main challenger, a singer-turned-lawmaker has galvanised young Ugandans with calls for political change, told a news conference Friday that he had filmed proof of fraud during voting, but he wanted a peaceful outcome of the vote.

He tweeted early hours of Friday, saying that he was confident of victory despite “widespread fraud and violence’’.

President Museveni, who has led the East African country with a population of nearly 46 million for 34 years, is yet to make an official statement.

Recall that on Wednesday, the government ordered an internet blackout until further notice. This was a day after banning all social media and messaging apps.

Wine and his supporters used Facebook to relay live coverage of his campaigns and news conference after he said many media outlets had declined to host him.

The election campaign was marred by deadly crackdowns by security forces on opposition candidates and their supporters.

Uganda’s usual lively capital Kampala was quiet on Friday. There was a public holiday after Thursday’s poll, making many shops to remain closed.

Soldiers were sighted patrolling on foot in the rain in a suburb.

Meanwhile, the Head of Electoral Commission, Simon Byabakama, has assured the nation on live TV Thursday evening after polls closed that results arriving at the national tally centre despite the nationwide internet blackout.

He said: “We are not using the local internet to transmit our results, we are using our own system.

“Don’t worry, results will come”.