Museveni Says Election Victory Proves Strength of Ruling Party

January 19, 2026

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has declared that his landslide victory in the country’s recent presidential election demonstrates the enduring dominance of his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which has governed the East African nation for nearly four decades.

Speaking to the nation on Sunday, a day after the Electoral Commission officially declared him winner, Museveni said the outcome of the polls offered clear evidence of the strength and popularity of his party across the country.

“The results have given a good taste of the strength of our party,” the president said during a nationally televised address from his country home in western Uganda.

Museveni dismissed claims that the opposition performed strongly, arguing that low voter turnout worked in their favour.

“The opposition was lucky,” he said. “Ten million of my people did not turn up. They would have been embarrassed badly.”

According to official figures, voter turnout stood at 52 percent — the lowest recorded since Uganda returned to multiparty politics in 2006. Analysts say voter apathy, fear of violence, logistical challenges and the nationwide internet shutdown may have contributed to the decline in participation.

Museveni secured more than 71.6 percent of the total votes cast, while his closest challenger and Uganda’s most prominent opposition leader, Bobi Wine, received 24.7 percent. Wine has rejected the results, describing them as fraudulent and accusing authorities of manipulating the electoral process.

Addressing supporters and dignitaries gathered at his residence, Museveni said he believed many of those who did not vote were members of the ruling party who felt confident of victory.

“The people who stayed away were mostly our supporters,” he said, adding that the NRM’s national support base remained solid despite reduced turnout.

The 81-year-old leader, who has been in power since 1986, will now begin a seventh term in office — a milestone that brings him closer to five decades at the helm of the country. He is currently Africa’s third-longest-serving president.

Museveni’s supporters credit him with restoring stability after years of political turmoil in the 1970s and early 1980s, as well as maintaining relative peace in a region often affected by conflict. Uganda currently hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in neighbouring countries including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In his post-election address, Museveni accused opposition groups of attempting to incite violence during the voting process. He called on religious leaders and community figures to help guide young people away from unrest.

“Young people can easily be misled into violence,” he said. “I urge religious leaders to engage them and promote peace.”

The president also referenced deadly clashes that occurred during polling in the central district of Mpigi. According to Museveni, at least seven opposition supporters affiliated with a losing parliamentary candidate from Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) were killed by police after attacking a polling station with machetes.

Security agencies have maintained that their actions were necessary to restore order, while opposition groups dispute the official version of events.

The election period was marked by heavy security deployment across the country. Police and military personnel were visible in major towns, road junctions and near polling centres throughout the campaign and voting days.

Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old musician-turned-politician whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has alleged persistent harassment by security forces. He said his campaign events were disrupted with tear gas and that his movements were closely monitored.

Citing serious security threats, Wine campaigned wearing a flak jacket and helmet, images that became symbolic of the tense political climate surrounding the election.

Another major source of controversy was a nationwide internet shutdown that lasted several days, beginning shortly before polling day. Authorities justified the move on national security grounds, but critics argued it restricted freedom of expression and limited independent election monitoring.

In addition, the failure of biometric voter identification machines delayed voting in several areas, including parts of Kampala, the capital. Long queues formed at polling stations, and some voters reportedly left without casting their ballots.

The Electoral Commission acknowledged the technical failures but insisted that alternative verification methods were used and that the issues did not affect the credibility of the final outcome.

Opposition leaders, however, say the malfunctioning machines — along with the internet blackout — may form the basis of a legal challenge.

Wine has the option of petitioning the Supreme Court to contest the results. However, previous opposition attempts to overturn Museveni’s victories have failed, though judges have repeatedly cited irregularities and recommended electoral reforms.

Museveni has remained in power in part through constitutional amendments that removed presidential term limits in 2005 and age restrictions in 2017 — changes that cleared the way for him to continue contesting elections.

Several potential rivals over the years have been jailed, exiled or politically sidelined, according to rights groups. Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in detention after facing treason-related charges he says are politically motivated.

Museveni has not publicly indicated when he plans to retire and faces no clear successor within the top ranks of the ruling party.

Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of presidential power since gaining independence from British colonial rule more than six decades ago — a reality that continues to shape its political landscape.

As Museveni embarks on another term, the election has once again highlighted the deep divisions between supporters who credit him for stability and critics who argue that democratic space in the country has continued to shrink.

While the president celebrates what he describes as a decisive mandate, opposition leaders and civil society groups insist that meaningful electoral reforms remain necessary to ensure future polls reflect the true will of the Ugandan people.