The commission said on Saturday that Museveni, 81, won a seventh term with 71.65 percent of the vote, Al Jazeera reports.
Uganda’s electoral commission has announced the re-election of President Yoweri Museveni, consolidating his hold on power nearly 40 years after first taking office.
The commission said on Saturday that Museveni, 81, won a seventh term with 71.65 percent of the vote, Al Jazeera reports.
Official results showed that his main challenger, opposition leader Bobi Wine — real name Robert Kyagulanyi — polled 24.72 percent.
Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986, after seizing power following a five-year guerrilla war.
His tenure has spanned multiple election cycles and constitutional changes that reshaped Uganda’s political landscape.
Over the years, his continued stay in office was made possible by the removal of presidential term limits in 2005 and the scrapping of age limits in 2017, reforms that allowed him to contest elections beyond earlier constitutional restrictions.
The latest election took place amid heightened tension across the country.
SaharaReporters had reported how the campaign period was marked by violence, heavy deployment of security forces and repeated confrontations between authorities and opposition supporters.
The reports also documented killings linked to election-related unrest and the arrest and detention of opposition leader Bobi Wine during the electoral process, developments that sparked domestic and international criticism.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that opposition leader, Bobi Wine, recounted how he narrowly escaped a military and police raid on his home in Magere on Friday night.
In a statement on Saturday, Wine described the night as chaotic, saying, "Last night was very difficult at our home in Magere. The military and police raided us. They switched off power and cut off some of our CCTV cameras. There were helicopters hovering over."
He confirmed that he managed to evade the authorities while some of his family members remain detained.
"I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them. Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe."
Wine also addressed the confusion surrounding his whereabouts, linking it to a nationwide internet shutdown.
"I understand that there has been great concern and speculation regarding my whereabouts. Please understand this is the context of a nationwide internet shutdown. Given the commotion that happened at our house at night, and given that no one is allowed to access the house, our neighbours concluded that they had succeeded in abducting us and spread the news."
The opposition leader used the statement to reject the results of the recent presidential election, which he described as fraudulent.
"I reiterate our COMPLETE REJECTION of the fake results Byabakama is reading. In addition to the ballot stuffing, the military take-over of the election, the detention of our leaders and polling officials, and other electoral offences, their results have zero backing!"
He further condemned violence against protesters.
"We condemn the murder of numerous citizens who have thus far attempted to peacefully demonstrate against the broad daylight thuggery."
Wine stressed the right of Ugandans to protest and criticized attempts to manipulate the electoral process.
"The people of Uganda have the right to protest in defence of their sovereign right to determine a government of their choice - not the kind of criminality we're witnessing."
He also highlighted targeting of opposition candidates, calling it "absolute madness."
"Aside from the blatant theft of the presidential election, these criminals have employed various fraudulent techniques to usurp the will of the people in numerous constituencies across the country. NUP candidates are being targeted - even when they have 100% evidence that they won. This is absolute madness."
The statement ended on a note of defiance. "The PEOPLE OF UGANDA WILL ULTIMATELY WIN."