KAMPALA, January 18, 2025 — The opposition National Unity Platform [ NUP ] has contested the declaration of President-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Yesterday, Justice Simon Byabakama, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, declared the National Resistance Movement [NRM] candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the winner of the 2026 presidential election.
Speaking after the declaration, Benjamin Katana, the NUP Treasurer, said the party sampled figures displayed at the national tally centre and from various polling stations, and established that the results did not match.
“We have also witnessed all manner of fraudulent actions, including ballot stuffing and multiple voting. We have received information about what has been transpiring at different district tally centres. We reject these results because they do not represent the will of the people as expressed through the polls,” Katana said.
Whereabouts of Bobi Wine
Katana said the party was unable to establish the whereabouts of NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
“At the moment, we are not able to establish Bobi Wine’s whereabouts. We last heard from him when he was under military siege at his residence. We have since received information suggesting that he may have escaped from his home,” Katana stated.
He added that due to the internet shutdown and restricted communication, the party could not confirm his location or well-being.
“Our position is grounded in the Constitution of Uganda. Article 59 gives Ugandans the right to demonstrate and protest against any unfairness. This electoral process has been reduced to a fraudulent exercise aimed at shortchanging the people of Uganda and subverting their will,” he said.
Katana said the party maintains its call for Ugandans to lawfully exercise their constitutional right to protest against the injustice and unfairness occasioned by the Electoral Commission working in favour of the NRM candidate.
He further noted that the state has a duty to protect citizens exercising their constitutional rights and warned that threatening violence against peaceful protesters is itself a crime.
“We believe that the security forces should refrain from engaging in unlawful acts, including killing citizens who are expressing their opinions, which is allowed under the Constitution of Uganda,” he added.
Museveni, who won with 71 percent of the vote, defeated seven other presidential candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of the National Unity Platform [NUP]; Elton Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party [CP]; and Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party [NPP].
Other contenders included Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change [FDC]; Mugisha Gregg Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation [ANT]; Munyagwa Mubarak Sserunga of the Common Man’s Party [CMP]; and Frank Bulira Kabinga of the Revolutionary People’s Party [RPP].
The EC Chairman said Museveni garnered 7,946,772 votes, followed by Kyagulanyi with 2,741,238 votes. Nandala Mafabi received 209,039 votes, while Mugisha Muntu polled 59,276 votes.
Robert Kasibante received 33,444 votes, Elton Joseph Mabirizi garnered 32,458 votes, Munyagwa Mubarak Sserunga received 31,666 votes, and Frank Bulira Kabinga obtained 45,959 votes.
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