Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was placed under house arrest on Friday, a day after national elections in which early results showed President Yoweri Museveni with a commanding lead as he seeks to extend his four-decade rule.
Museveni, who has governed Uganda since 1986, has been accused by rights groups and opponents of brutal repression in the run-up to the vote. His government also imposed a nationwide internet blackout earlier this week.
With about 25 per cent of votes counted, the Electoral Commission said Museveni had secured 76.25 per cent, compared with 19.85 per cent for Wine.
Thursday’s election was marred by widespread logistical and technical failures, including malfunctioning biometric voter identification machines and delayed delivery of ballot papers in several parts of the country, leaving many polling units unable to operate for hours.
Final results from the presidential and parliamentary elections are expected by 0200 GMT on Saturday.
Analysts widely view the election outcome as a foregone conclusion, noting Museveni’s firm grip on the state and security institutions, which critics say he has used to systematically suppress opposition throughout his 40 years in power.
Wine, 43 — whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu — has emerged as Museveni’s strongest challenger in recent years. A former pop star turned politician, he styles himself the “ghetto president,” a reference to his upbringing in Kampala’s informal settlements.
“The military and police have surrounded the residence of President Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, effectively placing him and his wife under house arrest,” his party, the National Unity Platform, said in a statement posted on X late Thursday.
“Security officers have unlawfully jumped over the perimeter fence and are now erecting tents within his compound,” the party added.
AFP journalists who visited the residence on Friday reported a calm atmosphere, though a military vehicle and several police officers were stationed outside.
A heavy security presence was reported across the country on election day.
Last week, the United Nations human rights office warned that the elections were taking place in an environment marked by “widespread repression and intimidation” of opposition figures.
Wine on Thursday accused the government of mass ballot stuffing and of attacking several of his party officials during the internet blackout imposed on Tuesday. His allegations could not be independently verified by AFP.
