KAMPALA, Jan 17 – Popular President Yoweri Museveni was declared the landslide winner of Uganda’s presidential election on Saturday.
The result hands the 81-year-old Museveni the decisive victory he sought to bolster his political position as speculation mounts about his eventual succession.Uganda’s electoral commission said at a ceremony in the capital Kampala on Saturday that Museveni had received just under 72% of the vote.
His main challenger, the pop singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, was secured 24%.
Overall, fears that Uganda might experience violence of the kind that killed hundreds in neighbouring Tanzania after its elections in October did not appear to have been realised.
Museveni’s win came as little surprise.
The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has commended the conduct of Uganda’s recently concluded general elections and congratulated President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his re-election.
In a statement issued following the presidential polls held on January 15, 2026, Youssouf congratulated President Museveni for securing victory with 71.61 percent of the votes cast, according to official results announced by Uganda’s Electoral Commission.
The AU Commission Chairperson praised the overall management of the electoral process, noting that the elections reflected the commitment of Ugandan institutions and citizens to democratic processes.
He also expressed sincere appreciation to H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his “sterling leadership” as head of the Joint African Union, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Election Observation Mission to Uganda.
Youssouf highlighted the role played by the joint observation mission in assessing the credibility of the polls and contributing to transparency and confidence in the electoral process.He further reiterated the African Union Commission’s commitment to continue supporting the promotion of democracy, good governance, and constitutional order across the continent.
The AU Chairperson applauded the people of Uganda for their participation in the elections and their continued commitment to consolidating democratic gains, peace, security, and national development.
Uganda’s 2026 elections attracted wide regional and international attention, with several observer missions deployed to monitor the polls as part of Africa’s broader efforts to strengthen democratic governance.
