Museveni wins as poll dispute claims fly

Sirens and boosted armed forces’ presence remained visible, patrolling nearly deserted streets while national army choppers hovered and made low altitude maneuvers in some parts of a fortressed and muted country whilst EC chairman Simon Byabakama announced results.

According to Justice Byabakama, Mr Museveni,76, sealed victory with 5,851,037 votes (58.64%) while opposition front-runner and National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate, Bobi Wine trailed closest with 3,475,298 votes (34.83%).

There was no explicit concession to NRM’s victory from opposition dissidents in a country that has been under a total internet shutdown since polls started January 14.

“My life is in danger having survived several assassination attempts and being attacked by soldiers at my home. Several of my supporters have been killed and thousands arbitrarily arrested,” Bobi Wine, who came second, said Friday.  

The country’s electoral body, accused of electoral fraud by opposition, became a target of sad commentary to the opposition after “irregularities” were sighted in presidential poll results, tailored with a cruel atmosphere towards government nonconformists leading to polls held amid a roaring Covid-19 pandemic.

The United States (US), European Union (EU) and other international apparatus had earlier raised alarm over failed transparency in Uganda’s election.

“It is not possible for the US to meaningfully observe the conduct of Uganda’s elections at polling sites across the country,” US ambassador Natalie E Brown said Wednesday whilst announcing cancellation of a diplomatic observer mission of Uganda’s election.

Bobi Wine equally dismissed the results as early as Friday saying, “EC results are "fake. EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama disdainfully ignored malpractices that occurred during elections, including those at the expense of armed forces but he is spinning elections in Gen Museveni’s favor.”

Bobi Wine said he was intending to release vivid evidence for his claims once internet connectivity was restored.

“Armed security officers gave people pre-ticked ballot papers in addition to intimidating voters by their presence and influencing the electorate to vote in favor of incumbent president Museveni,” Bobi Wine alleged before EC chairperson Byabakama challenged him “To show how results were released contrary to what was in 34,684 Result Declaration Forms.”

Bobi Wine, who results show garnered some grass-root support since arriving on the political scene, told his backers that he was hell-bent towards pushing for an end to Mr Museveni’s 35 years at the helm of Uganda’s top leadership spot.

“Our battle is just beginning and far from over,” he remarked, Friday, during a press conference at his home in Magere, Wakiso district.

In avoidance of any clear case of history, the run to this year’s election claimed over 60 lives in the face of police and army brutality in a politically divided nation, torn with uncertainty- that now has to brace for five more years of a revolutionary leader against revolutions.

*The stats carried in this story are of the final batch of provisional results released by the Electoral Commission on January 16, 2021 (3:35pm Local EAT)

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