Museveni clinches presidency, to rule for sixth elective term

The Uganda Electoral Commission (UEC) has declared incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the winner of the January 14 presidential poll, paving way for his sixth elective term.

According to the results which were announced by the commission’s chairman Justice Simon Byabakama, the 76year-old won the election after garnering 5,851,037 votes (58.64 per cent). Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) of the NUP Party came second with 3,475,298 votes (34.83 per cent).

“I declare candidate Yoweri Museveni Tibuhaburwa, the next president of the Republic of Uganda having obtained the highest number of votes in the election held on January 14, 2021,” the electoral commission chairman declared.

Third-placed candidate Patrick Amuriat of the Democratic Change (FDC) got 323,536 votes (3.24 per cent). The remaining other eight candidates got less than 70,000 votes each.

Rigging claims

But Kyagulanyi has  trashed the results citing massive rigging in the elections.

“This morning as you have all been hearing from the provisional results of the EC, you have seen that Mr Museveni has been given 63.92 per cent and we are being given 28.32 per cent. We reject these results because we have seen the rigging pattern even from the time we were campaigning,” Daily Monitor quotes him talking to the media yesterday.

The media reported that Kyagulanyi alleged massive intimidation from the security officers which he said gave leeway to rig the votes in favour of the sitting president.

“Many of my agents in most districts in the west and north, especially West Nile, were arrested and the EC has concentrated on reading results from districts that they can easily rig. They are not announcing results from districts of the central region and the eastern where we have overwhelming support. We believe we have a comfortable win over Museveni in this election,’’ Kyagulanyi said.

But yesterday the NRM had opposed the rigging allegation saying the election was free and fair.