Bobi Wine Breaks Silence after Museveni was Announced Winner of 2026 Elections: "They Abducted Out Agents and Election Officials"

Bobi Wine. Photo/Courtesy 

National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Bobi Wine has rejected the re-election of President Yoweri Museveni, alleging widespread fraud and systematic manipulation of the 2026 general election results.

In a statement released on Sunday, a day after the Electoral Commission declared Museveni the winner, Bobi Wine cited what he described as video evidence showing electoral officials allegedly marking ballot papers in favour of the incumbent at a polling station in western Uganda. 

He argued that the footage reinforced long-standing opposition claims that the electoral process was neither free nor fair.

“This is what Museveni and his criminal system call an election,” Bobi Wine said, accusing state institutions of orchestrating vote rigging. 

He maintained that NUP supporters turned out to campaign and vote, but efforts to safeguard the ballots were undermined by the arrest and abduction of party agents and officials across the country.

The opposition leader framed the election as a “protest vote,” arguing that Ugandans participated despite anticipating manipulation, as a way of rejecting President Museveni’s decades-long rule. 

He called on citizens to continue documenting and sharing evidence of alleged irregularities from polling day on January 15.

Bobi Wine’s remarks come amid heightened political tension in Uganda, with opposition parties disputing the credibility of the Electoral Commission and raising concerns over the conduct of security agencies during the electoral period. 

Human rights groups have previously reported cases of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on political activity during past elections.

President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, has consistently dismissed opposition claims of rigging, insisting that elections in Uganda reflect the will of the people.

As calls for accountability grow, the aftermath of the election is expected to test Uganda’s political stability and the opposition’s ability to mobilise within a tightly controlled political environment.