Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has been officially declared the winner of the recent election, securing a seventh term in office and extending his tenure as Africa's longest-serving leader. The electoral commission announced that Museveni garnered 71.65 percent of the votes, while his closest rival, former entertainer Bobi Wine, received 24.72 percent. This outcome has been met with significant controversy, as African observers and the opposition have denounced widespread irregularities, including intimidation, arrests, and abductions targeting opposition figures, which they claim undermined the credibility of the polls.

Bobi Wine, who ran for the presidency for the second time, stated that he was forced into hiding after security forces allegedly raided his home and placed his family under house arrest. Police, however, deny seeking to detain him, claiming they were merely controlling access to areas deemed security hotspots to prevent incitement to violence. The election unfolded amidst an ongoing internet shutdown and a heavy security presence across the country, with Wine's party alleging that their polling agents were abducted, giving the ruling party an unfair advantage.

Concerns were echoed by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, representing election observers from the African Union, Igad, and Comesa. He reported that instances of intimidation, arrest, and abductions of opposition leaders, candidates, supporters, media, and civil society actors by security forces instilled fear and eroded public trust in the electoral process. Civil society organizations in Nairobi also reported witnessing election fraud, citing late opening of polling stations, missing voting kits, pre-filled ballot boxes, and discrepancies between live vote counts and official estimates.

Museveni, now 81, has been in power for 40 years, during which presidential term and age limits have been removed from Uganda's constitution, and several potential rivals have been jailed. He has not indicated when he plans to retire. Bobi Wine, having faced multiple arrests prior to his first presidential bid in 2021, declared his