Politics Museveni declared winner in Uganda's presidential election
In Uganda, the incumbent Yoweri Museveni has won the presidential election with a large majority, according to the country's electoral commission. According to the commission, the 81-year-old head of state received 71 percent of the vote. Museveni will therefore run for a seventh five-year term. His fiercest rival, former musician Bobi Wine, followed with 24 percent of the vote.
17.01.2026, 16:22
SDA
Wine raised accusations of vote rigging. "The results are rigged and in no way reflect what happened at the polling stations," said Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, in a video message on X.
Shortly beforehand, the 44-year-old had announced that he had escaped an attempted kidnapping by state security forces on Friday evening and was now in hiding. Wine is particularly popular with young voters, who make up the majority of registered voters.
Internet blockade and repression
During the election campaign, critics had pointed to repression against opposition candidates and their supporters. In the East African country with a population of around 50 million, the internet has been blocked since Tuesday evening and access to social media has been blocked. The government has also banned journalists from reporting on any protests and unrest. The UN Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about "undue restrictions" on the opposition by state security forces.
For Germany, Uganda is above all an important partner in development cooperation, with a focus on renewable energies, energy efficiency and agriculture. Germany imports coffee, tea and fish from Uganda, while the East African country imports machinery and chemical products from Germany.
