Rigging claims mar Uganda elections as vote tallying continues
Tallying of the presidential and parliamentary election is underway in Uganda ahead of today night 48 hours announcement deadline as per Uganda’s constitution in an election marred by claims of voter fraud, ballot stuffing, voters kit failure and internet shutdown.
Vote counting began after voting deadline on Thursday, January 15, 2026 evening, with results expected within 48 hours as required by the constitution
Uganda’s main opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has accused authorities of widespread electoral malpractice, including “massive ballot stuffing,” amid an internet shutdown.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni aged 81 years and who is defending his seat seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade, having ruled for 40 years so far, half his age voiced confidence in the voting process.
Wine also alleged arrests of opposition leaders, and intimidation of polling agents, as Ugandans voted in a tense general election.
“Massive ballot-stuffing reported everywhere,” declared presidential hopeful Bobi Wine in a post on social media, without providing documentary proof.
So far, the authorities have not responded to his allegations of electoral fraud, nor to his claim that “many” polling agents and supervisors belonging to his NUP party were “abducted, and others chased off polling stations”.
Delays of up to four hours have been blamed on malfunctioning biometric machines used to verify voters’ identities.
After casting his vote, Museveni told reporters in western Uganda that he expected to win 80 per cent of the vote “if there’s no cheating”, dismissing the prospect of an upset victory by popular singer and his main challenger, Wine.
