Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was reportedly under house arrest on Friday, a day after presidential elections in which early results showed a commanding lead for President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking to extend his 40-year rule. Museveni, 81, has ruled Uganda since 1986 and has faced accusations of “brutal repression” of opposition figures in the lead-up to the vote. This week, his government imposed a nationwide internet blackout.
According to AFP, with about a quarter of votes counted, Museveni was leading with 76.25 percent, while Wine, 43, also known as Robert Kyagulanyi, trailed at 19.85 percent. Election day on Thursday was marked by technical issues, including malfunctioning biometric machines and delayed ballot papers in several areas. The final results for the presidential and parliamentary elections are expected by 0200 GMT on Saturday.
“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, posted on X. The post added that security officers “have unlawfully jumped over the perimeter fence and are now erecting tents within his compound.”
AFP journalists who visited Wine’s compound on Friday observed a heavy security presence, though the compound appeared calm. Across Uganda, election day saw heightened security nationwide.
Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Office warned that the elections were being conducted amid “widespread repression and intimidation” targeting opposition parties. Wine has also accused the government of “massive ballot stuffing” and alleged that several of his party officials were attacked, though AFP could not independently verify these claims.
Wine, a former singer who calls himself the “ghetto president,” rose to prominence representing Uganda’s youth, especially those from Kampala’s slum areas, while Museveni continues to assert that his long tenure ensures stability and progress.
