UGANDA ELECTION: “I Expect An 80% Win If There’s No Cheating!” – Museveni
Ugandans voted in a tense national election on Thursday, following an often violent campaign and an internet blackout, with President Yoweri Museveni attempting to extend his rule for a fifth decade.
Museveni told reporters after casting his ballot in western Uganda that he anticipated to win 80% of the vote “if there’s no cheating”.
He rejected the possibility of a surprise victory by opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine.
The election is widely regarded as a test of the 81-year-old leader’s political strength and capacity to prevent the type of instability that has wracked neighbouring Tanzania and Kenya as talk about his impending succession grows.
He campaigned on the theme “Protecting The Gains,” promising to keep the peace and bring Uganda into the middle economic bracket.
Uganda's🇺🇬 elections marred by significant disruptions, widespread delays and biometric glitches force a return to manual voting. President Yoweri Museveni nearly fails to vote after biometric verification machines fail to recognize his fingerprints. They had to scan his face to… pic.twitter.com/hIYD2cthAP
— Kennedy Wandera (@KennedyWandera_) January 15, 2026
Wine, 43, nicknamed the “Ghetto President” due to his poor background, has appealed to young people frustrated by a lack of economic possibilities in a country where the average age is slightly more than 16.
Voting took place in the capital, Kampala, amid a robust police presence.
Some polling booths did not open on time because biometric voter verification machines were not operational. Museveni stated that the cause of this was being investigated.
ALSO READ:
- A Nairobi OCS, Constable Arrested Over Shooting Incident At An Eldoret Night Club
- Gov’t De-Registers 46 Companies, Leaves Thousands Without Employment
- 8-Storey Building Collapses, 4 People Trapped As Emergency Providers Delays Over 8 Hours
- Terror In Mandera As Gunmen Ambush Matatu, Kill 6 Passengers
- PA To Late MP Wins UDA Ticket For Ol Kalou’s July By-Election
Ronald Tenywa, a 45-year-old university researcher who voted in the Kasangati township, lamented that political leaders “cling on for a long time”.
“If we vote for someone who cares, things will be better for Uganda,” he said, without specifying for whom he was voting.
The authorities cut internet access across the country on Tuesday to curb what they called misinformation about the election.
Many Ugandans turned to an offline messaging app launched by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
UGANDA ELECTION: “I Expect An 80% Win If There’s No Cheating!” – Museveni
