Museveni named winner of Ugandan presidential elections

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Uganda's incumbent leader Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) was declared as the winner in the East African country's elections on Saturday, securing his sixth term in office.

Declaring Museveni's victory, electoral commission chair head Simon Byabakama announced that the 76-year-old won with 58.64% of total votes, representing 5,851,037 ballots.

The official results showed opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi coming in second with 3,475,298 (34.83%) of the total votes, though the pop star-turned-politician has rejected these results as fake.

Commonly known by his stage name, Bobi Wine, the main opposition party leader told reporters he believes the internet and social media shutdown imposed by the government on Wednesday was aimed at compromising the vote by blocking the immediate reporting of results at polling centers.

Wine, 38, said in a statement that the army and police in some places gave people pre-ticked ballots, while also "intimidating voters by their presence and influencing the electorate" to for Museveni.

"We have gathered supporting evidence and it will be availed to the public once internet is restored across the country," he added.

Military officials have denied the charges, with spokesman Deo Akiiki describing them as "malicious claims aimed at tarnishing the Uganda People Defence Forces."

Following the country's constitution, the president-elect was announced within 48 hours after polls closed on Thursday at 4.00 p.m. local time (1300GMT).

Ugandans cast their ballots Thursday in a peaceful general election to elect the next president, members of parliament and local government representatives.

Nine candidates ran against Museveni, 76, for the presidency.

Museveni has been in power since 1986.