Kizza Besigye, a Ugandan opposition leader, has rejected the results of Thursday’s general elections which saw President Yoweri Museveni win a fifth term.
Kizza Besigye, a Ugandan opposition leader, has rejected the results of Thursday’s general elections which saw President Yoweri Museveni win a fifth term.
Mr. Besigye, who has been under house arrest since Friday, described the elections as "the most fraudulent electoral process".
"Generally, the regime is baring its bloodied fangs and claws for all to see. This has not been an electoral process. This is a creeping military coup," Mr. Besigye said in a statement.
President Museveni, who has been in power for 30 years, received about 61% of the vote while Mr. Besigye received roughly 35%.
Many observers of the election stated that voting took place amidst an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
Mr. Besigye was arrested on Monday causing riots across the nation’s capital of Kampala as well as on the campus. During the elections access to social media messaging apps were cutoff.
The official reason given for the shutdown was due to “security threats”.
The elections were the fourth time Mr. Besigye challenged President Museveni for the presidency. The opposition leader was formerly the Mr. Museveni’s personal doctor.