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Opposition supporters killed in post-election clashes
At least seven Ugandan opposition backers died overnight in disputed circumstances, as President Yoweri Museveni took a commanding lead in Thursday's presidential election results. The opposition claims security forces opened fire, while police allege self-defence against armed attackers.
Conflicting accounts of Butambala violence
Opposition lawmaker Muwanga Kivumbi told AFP that soldiers and police stormed his home in Butambala, 55 km southwest of Kampala, where hundreds had gathered to monitor early results. He said security forces fired tear gas before live ammunition, killing ten inside his residence. Human rights activist Agather Atuhaire corroborated this version to Reuters.
Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe denied the allegations, stating officers acted in self-defence after a group of opposition supporters attacked a police station with machetes, axes, and matches. She confirmed seven fatalities but did not specify locations.
Museveni leads as Wine alleges fraud
Partial results released Friday by the electoral commission showed Museveni, 81, with 75% of votes counted from 60% of polling stations. Opposition leader Bobi Wine trailed with 21%. Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP) reported his Kampala home surrounded by security forces, effectively placing him and his wife under house arrest.
Wine, a 43-year-old former pop star, accused authorities of "massive" electoral fraud but provided no evidence. The UN Human Rights Office had previously warned of "widespread repression" during the campaign.
Election marred by delays and internet blackout
Voting on Thursday faced disruptions, with delays of up to four hours in some areas due to late ballot deliveries and malfunctioning biometric verification machines. Opposition figures linked the issues to an ongoing internet shutdown imposed Tuesday to prevent misinformation and violence-a move condemned by the UN.
Electoral chief Simon Byabakama assured the public that vote counting proceeded unaffected, using a private system to transmit results. He pledged final results by 5 PM local time (14:00 GMT) Saturday.
Security forces block access to Wine's home
Journalists reported being barred from Wine's residence in Kampala's Magere neighborhood. The NUP posted on X that security forces had scaled perimeter fences and set up tents inside the compound. Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke justified the deployment as protective measures for Wine, citing his status as a "person of interest."
Similar restrictions followed the 2021 election, when Wine secured 35% of the vote and was confined to his home for days.
Stakes and historical context
Museveni, a former rebel leader, seeks a seventh term after four decades in power. Analysts predict his victory, though Wine's campaign resonates with Uganda's youthful population, promising anti-corruption reforms. Museveni frames himself as the sole guarantor of stability.
Speculation persists about Museveni grooming his son, military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as a successor, though the president denies such plans.
