Tension grips Kampala as Museveni leads and residents await election results

Kampala remained tense and unusually quiet on Friday as Ugandans waited for the final results of the presidential election, with uncertainty gripping the capital. Provisional figures from about half of polling stations showed long-serving President Yoweri Museveni leading with more than 70 percent of the vote, while his main challenger, opposition leader and former pop star Bobi Wine, trailed on around 19 percent.

The anxious wait has brought daily life to a near standstill. Many shops remain closed, public transport is limited, and internet disruptions have compounded economic hardship. “We have not yet gone back to working in our normal ways,” said Pauli Kizito, a local resident. “The shops are closed, we have no clients, the internet is down, and financially we are struggling.”

Bobi Wine had hoped to end Museveni’s four-decade rule, but the election unfolded under heavy military deployment, with tight security surrounding Wine’s home near Kampala. Armored vehicles and soldiers on the streets have added to public unease.

Residents describe an atmosphere of fear and anticipation. “The situation is scary because it’s not normal,” said Cissy Nakuya, another local resident. “People are waiting to see what happens after the winner is announced before businesses reopen.”

Museveni, 81, is already Africa’s third-longest-serving leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade, a prospect that continues to divide the nation as it awaits the final outcome.