Uganda’s army on Saturday rejected claims that opposition leader Bobi Wine had been abducted from his home, as vote counting continued in an election overshadowed by an internet blackout and reports of at least 10 deaths.
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, appeared poised to secure another term and extend his four-decade rule, holding a commanding lead over Wine, a former singer-turned-politician.
Wine said on Friday that he had been placed under house arrest, while his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), later claimed on X that he was “forcibly taken” from his residence by an army helicopter.
The military dismissed the allegation.
“The rumours of his so-called arrest are baseless and unfounded,” army spokesman Chris Magezi told AFP. “They are intended to incite his supporters into acts of violence.”
AFP journalists at Wine’s residence early Saturday reported a calm atmosphere, although communication with party officials remained difficult due to ongoing disruptions to internet and mobile services.
A nearby stall owner, Prince Jerard, 29, said he heard a drone and helicopter near the residence on Friday night and described a heavy security presence.
“Many people have left the area,” he said. “There is a lot of fear.”
With more than 80 percent of votes counted, Museveni was leading with 73.7 percent, compared with 22.7 percent for Wine, according to the Electoral Commission, which said final results were expected around 1300 GMT on Saturday.
Wine, 43, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has emerged as Museveni’s strongest challenger in recent years, branding himself the “ghetto president” after his upbringing in Kampala’s informal settlements.
He has accused the government of massive ballot stuffing and of attacking opposition officials under cover of the internet shutdown imposed ahead of Thursday’s polls and still in effect on Saturday.
While AFP could not independently verify the allegations, the United Nations human rights office said last week that the elections were taking place in an atmosphere of “widespread repression and intimidation” of the opposition.
Reports of violence
Analysts have long described the election as a foregone conclusion, citing Museveni’s firm grip on the state and security forces since he seized power in 1986.
Voting on Thursday was disrupted by technical failures after biometric voter identification machines malfunctioned and ballot papers were delivered late to several polling centres.
There were also reports of violence in parts of the country.
Muwanga Kivumbi, a lawmaker from Wine’s party in Butambala district, told AFP from Nairobi that security forces had killed 10 of his campaign agents after raiding his home.
AFP
