President Museveni with first lady Janet Museveni during the campaign period…Photo/courtesy
By IP reporter
KAMPALA, Uganda (IP)
President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Uganda’s 2026 presidential election, extending his four-decade stay at the top with 7,643,778 votes, or 71.88%, according to the Electoral Commission. Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, finished a distant second with 2,601,150 votes, or 24.26%.
The announcement triggered a familiar mix of reactions across the country: celebration from ruling party supporters, disbelief from the opposition and deep sighs from everyone who has seen this movie before — several times.
In Kampala, security forces maintained a heavy presence as residents cautiously reopened shops, while opposition supporters questioned how Museveni keeps winning elections in which nearly everyone they know voted for “change.”
Kyagulanyi rejected the results, saying the outcome “does not reflect the will of the people,” while Museveni’s allies praised the vote as a triumph of “experience, stability and strong Wi-Fi restrictions.”
Some young voters joked that Museveni’s name should simply be pre-printed on future ballots “to save time and ink,” while others said they would continue pushing for reforms — ideally before the next election cycle in 2031, or whenever Museveni feels ready for another landslide.
For now, Uganda moves forward under the same leadership, the same arguments, and the same national pastime: waiting for the day when an election result actually surprises someone.
