Yoweri Museveni has been declared winner of Uganda’s presidential election with 58.6 per cent of the vote while top opposition challenger Bobi Wine came second place with 34.8 per cent.
The electoral commission announced the results on Saturday in a televised news conference amid allegations of widespread rigging
Museveni’s win extends his 35-year reign in the East African country.
“The electoral commission declares Yoweri Museveni … elected president of the republic of Uganda,” said election commission chairman Justice Simon Byabakama.
Museveni, 76, campaigned for another term arguing his long experience in office makes him a good leader while promising to keep delivering stability and progress.
Meanwhile, Wine, 38, had called on the country’s youths to end what he describes as dictatorship and widespread corruption.
A day before the election, the government shut down the internet and the blackout was still in place at press time.
Security forces had sealed off a wide perimeter around Wine’s sprawling compound on Saturday and told international journalists they were not permitted to enter, witnesses said.
Wine had called the polls “the most fraudulent election in the history of Uganda.”
He had also raised alarm that his wife was assaulted by security forces.
The African Union and East African Community sent observer teams to the election, but neither group of officials responded to requests for comment about possible irregularities.
The European Union observer team and that of the United States pulled out of observing the polls following stringent rules.
