Yoweri Museveni

Also known as: Museveni · President Yoweri Museveni · President Museveni · 81-year-old Museveni

Incumbent president of Uganda since 1986, re-elected in January 2026 with 72% of the vote amid disputed electoral process and opposition claims of rigging.

World & Region

Uganda election disrupted by technical failures, internet blackout

The News

Uganda's presidential election was hit by widespread delays as biometric voting machines malfunctioned and ballot boxes remained undelivered, compounded by an internet blackout imposed by the government. President Yoweri Museveni, seeking a seventh term, acknowledged problems casting his own vote, while opposition figures alleged the disruptions were deliberate attempts to undermine the poll.

16 January 2026 · New Era →

Friday 16 January

Uganda election disrupted by technical failures, internet blackout
Uganda's presidential election was hit by widespread delays as biometric voting machines malfunctioned and ballot boxes remained undelivered, compounded by an internet blackout imposed by the government. President Yoweri Museveni, seeking a seventh term, acknowledged problems casting his own vote, while opposition figures alleged the disruptions were deliberate attempts to undermine the poll.
16 January 2026 · New Era →
Uganda counts votes amid internet blackout and fraud allegations
Uganda is counting votes in presidential and parliamentary elections while an internet shutdown is in effect and opposition leader Bobi Wine alleges massive ballot-stuffing and intimidation by security forces. Long delays caused by malfunctioning biometric machines, missing ballot materials, and other logistical problems have affected polling stations, with the presidential result due Saturday.
16 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 15 January

Uganda votes in presidential election between Museveni and Bobi Wine
Ugandans are voting in a presidential election between incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, seeking to extend his 40-year rule, and singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who has promised to tackle corruption and impose reforms. The campaign has been marked by opposition harassment, internet blackouts, and heightened security in the capital, with analysts predicting Museveni will likely win given his success in six previous elections.
15 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 14 January

Young Uganda votes between 81-year-old incumbent and generational change
Uganda's presidential election Thursday pits President Yoweri Museveni, 81 and in power for four decades, against Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old opposition leader backed by youth demanding change. In a country with a median age of 17, the contest reflects a fundamental tension between an aging political establishment and a youthful population demanding inclusion and meaningful participation.
14 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 12 January

Uganda opposition uses national flag as protest symbol in election
As Uganda votes Thursday on whether to give President Yoweri Museveni a seventh term, opposition leader Bobi Wine has turned the national flag into a symbol of resistance, with supporters waving it at rallies despite police warnings and government pressure. Analysts say Museveni, 81, is likely to win given his control of state apparatus, but Wine has framed the election as a protest vote and reclaimed patriotism through the flag as "the only weapon" his supporters have.
12 January 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 11 January

Uganda heads to polls in closely-watched presidential contest
Ugandans will vote on 15 January to choose between President Yoweri Museveni, seeking a seventh successive election victory after 40 years in power, and pop-star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who is promising sweeping reforms. The election has been marked by opposition harassment and security force disruptions, with economic concerns and corruption dominating the campaign agenda.
11 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 6 January

Amnesty: Uganda security forces repress opposition ahead of elections
Amnesty International reported that Ugandan security forces have used torture and arbitrary arrests to intimidate opposition supporters ahead of 15 January elections, with documented cases of beating, pepper-spraying, and tasering; President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his 40-year rule amid fears the government may shut down the internet during voting.
6 January 2026 · New Era →