Uganda police brace for violence following allegations of election rigging

Police in Uganda have occupied the streets anticipating protests and riots as the country’s election commission certifies President Yoweri Museveni as the winner of Thursday’s presidential election.

A polling agent from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party celebrates the victory of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni [Baz Ratner/Reuters]

Museveni, 76, secured his sixth-term in office, extending his 35-year reign by winning 58.64% of the votes casted. His main rival, pop singer and opposition leader, Bobi Wine, won 34.83% of the vote casted despite being projected as the candidate most likely to defeat Museveni.

Wine has refused to concede, alleging that the entire process was rigged in the president's favor. Wine claims that President Museveni ordered army personnel, sent to guard polling sites, to pre-mark an unknown number of ballots and hand them to voters.

President Museveni has denied the allegations, saying Thursday's election might even be the “most cheating-free” in Uganda’s history.

Wine’s representative, Benjamin Katana, described the president’s remarks, in an interview with Al Jazeera, as “ an attempt to undermine the will of the people in Uganda.”

“The legal framework in Uganda gives us a number of opportunities and options to which we can contest this unfair process and going through the Supreme Court is one of the options,” Katana said.

The election commission has called on Wine to present his evidence of voter fraud and irregularities since he claims to have video proof of the incidents.

Wine however says government security personnel have surrounded his home and aren’t allowing him to leave.

Security forces keep watch outside Bobi Wine’s house, in Kampala’s Magere area [Baz Ratner/Reuters]

“His movements are restricted; he is not allowed to leave his home and visitors are not allowed to enter, which in effect indicates that he is under detention, house arrest,” Katana said.

The army’s deputy spokesperson, Deo Akiiki, said the measures are being taken to safeguard Mr. Wine’s life.

By: Niza Nondo