Uganda elections chief says he faces threats over vote outcome

Uganda’s elections chief says he is facing pressure and threats linked to the outcome of this week’s presidential vote but insists the results will be determined solely by the ballot.

Simon Byabakama, chairperson of the Electoral Commission, said he had been warned by senior government figures not to declare certain candidates winners, though he did not name those involved.

He was reacting to a video circulating widely online in which a presidential aide suggested the commission would never announce opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, as president even if he won the election.

Byabakama said such comments would not influence his work, stressing that his role was to announce results based on votes cast, not political pressure.

Ugandans vote as President Yoweri Museveni, 81, seeks to extend his nearly four-decade rule with a seventh term in office. His strongest challenger is Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old musician-turned-politician who came second in the 2021 election. Six other candidates are also contesting the presidency, with more than 21 million voters registered.

The campaign has been tense, with opposition parties accusing authorities of harassment, including the arrest of activists and the disruption of campaign events.

Speaking in Kampala, Byabakama played down the threats, describing them as empty talk. He said only the law and the will of voters would shape the final outcome.

In the video shared by local newspaper Daily Monitor, presidential aide Yiga Kisakyamukama is heard saying Museveni would not leave office through elections and that the electoral commission would never declare Bobi Wine the winner.

Byabakama said Uganda’s electoral law is clear, stating that any candidate who secures more than half of the valid votes cast must be declared president. He added that results would be announced within 48 hours after polling ends, in line with legal requirements.

He also responded to concerns about the strong presence of security forces around polling areas, saying they were deployed to maintain order and not to intimidate voters. The commission, he said, was looking into reports that some polling stations were located inside military facilities.

Earlier in the week, authorities shut down internet access and limited mobile services across the country, citing the need to prevent misinformation and electoral interference. The move has drawn criticism from rights groups and the United Nations, which described the restrictions as deeply worrying.