Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected for a seventh term in office following a presidential election held on January 15, 2026. The veteran leader secured 71.61 percent (or 71.65 percent according to some reports) of the total votes cast, while his closest rival, pop-star turned politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, garnered 24.72 percent.

The election process was marred by widespread allegations of brutality, repression, and violence against opposition leaders and their supporters. Campaigning was characterized by injuries, arrests, and deaths, with at least 20 people reported dead. The presidential election was rocked by police violence, including the use of tear gas and live bullets, leading many to perceive the polls as not free, fair, or verifiable.

Uganda’s Electoral Commission Chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama, officially declared Museveni the winner. However, Bobi Wine vehemently rejected the results, describing them as "fake" and the electoral process as unfair. He accused authorities of massive ballot stuffing and the abduction of his polling agents, claims he asserted gave the ruling party an unfair advantage. Wine called on Ugandans to engage in peaceful protests until what he termed the "rightful results" are announced.

Tensions escalated on polling day and afterwards. An internet shutdown was implemented during vote counting, and biometric voter identification machines failed in several urban centers, including the capital Kampala, an opposition stronghold. This malfunction forced polling officials to revert to manual voter registers, a move criticized by pro-democracy activists who advocate for biometric systems to prevent electoral malpractice. President Museveni defended the use of paper registers after the machine failures. Furthermore, Wine reported being forced to flee to avoid arrest when security forces surrounded his home. While his party claimed he was forcibly taken by an army helicopter, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke denied the arrest, stating Wine was free but access to his residence was restricted to prevent incitement of violence.

Despite the controversies, President Museveni received congratulations from regional bodies and leaders. The African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, commended the conduct of the elections and congratulated Museveni on his re-election. Youssouf also praised the role of election observers, specifically former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, for his leadership of the joint African Union, COMESA, and IGAD Election Observation Mission. Similarly, Citizen First President Harry Kalaba congratulated Museveni, hailing him as one of the "few surviving Pan-Africanists of our time."