Ugandans go to the polls on Thursday in a presidential election that opposition figures say is being conducted under heavy political repression and widespread intimidation. Opposition leader Bobi Wine has centered his campaign on the release of political prisoners, with his National Unity Platform (NUP) holding a prayer service this week for supporters and activists currently in detention. Human rights groups estimate that dozens of opposition members have been arrested or held without charge in the months leading up to the vote.
One of the strongest critics of the process is Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS and wife of veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who remains jailed. Byanyima described the election as a “farce,” accusing President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, of ruling through a militarized system that has hollowed out democratic institutions. “Uganda has the appearance of a democracy, but power is firmly in the hands of the president and the security forces,” Byanyima said, warning that fear—not voter apathy—could keep many citizens away from polling stations. She pointed to past elections in which security forces fired live ammunition at protesters, killing and injuring civilians.
Political analysts say Museveni’s re-election is widely expected, citing constitutional changes that removed term and age limits, tight control over state institutions, and restrictions on opposition campaigning. International observers, including the UN Human Rights Office, have reported repeated harassment, arbitrary arrests and the use of force against opposition supporters during the campaign. Bobi Wine has framed the vote as an act of resistance, encouraging supporters to reclaim national symbols such as Uganda’s flag. Authorities have pushed back, warning against what they call the “misuse” of national symbols, as tensions remain high ahead of polling day.
