The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially declared President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the winner of the January 15, 2026 presidential election, securing a seventh term and extending his nearly 40-year rule by another five years.
According to the final tally announced by EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) garnered 7,946,772 votes, representing 71.65% of the valid votes cast. This comfortably exceeded the constitutional threshold of 50 per cent plus one required for an outright first-round victory.
Main challenger Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform (NUP), came second with 2,741,238 votes (24.72%).
Other candidates trailed far behind: Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC) with 209,039 votes (1.88%), Mugisha Muntu with 59,276 (0.53%), Mubarak Munyagwa with 31,666 (0.30%), Robert Kasibante with 33,440 (0.30%), and Joseph Mabirizi with 23,458 votes (0.21%).
The declaration was made after results from 49,512 out of 50,739 polling stations—about 98 per cent—had been tallied, leaving 1,227 stations pending.
National voter turnout stood at 11,366,201 votes out of 21,649,067 registered voters, translating into approximately 52.5 per cent participation. More than 10 million eligible voters did not cast their ballots.
Museveni swept most regions of the country but faced stiff competition in the opposition strongholds of Buganda and Kampala. In Buganda, Bobi Wine narrowly won with 1,160,780 votes (49.37%) compared to Museveni’s 1,157,832 votes (49.25%).
The announcement sparked jubilation among NRM supporters at the national tally centre in Lubowa. High-profile figures in attendance included Vice President Jessica Alupo, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, party vice presidents Hajj Moses Kigongo and Anita Among—who is also Speaker of Parliament—and other senior party officials.
In contrast, the NUP swiftly rejected the outcome. Benjamin Katana, the party’s representative at the tally centre, described the results as “fraudulent” and unreflective of polling-station realities. He cited alleged irregularities, including voter intimidation, arrests of agents, ballot stuffing, and broader voter suppression.
“The results declared by the EC are fraudulent and do not represent the transparency at the different polling stations across the country,” Katana said.
Pressed on the party’s next steps, Katana emphasized that the vote belongs to Ugandans, who are constitutionally empowered to pursue lawful action if dissatisfied with the outcome.
The election unfolded amid intense controversy, including a nationwide internet blackout imposed days before voting, reports of polling delays due to technical glitches, heavy security deployments, allegations of fraud from both sides, and post-poll unrest that reportedly claimed lives in some areas.
Shortly before declaring the results, Byabakama appealed for calm, urging Ugandans to prioritize national unity and seek redress through legal channels.
“I call upon voters, supporters and other actors to put Uganda first. Where anyone is not satisfied with the results, there are legal avenues they can pursue,” he said.
Compared to the 2021 election—where Museveni won with 58.38 per cent (6,042,898 votes) against Bobi Wine’s 35.08 per cent (3,631,437 votes)—the 2026 cycle saw Museveni significantly widen his margin, albeit amid lower overall voter turnout.
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