Post-election tensions in Uganda escalated sharply after reports emerged that at least ten people were killed in violent clashes linked to the country’s presidential election.
The unrest has erupted as early results show long-time leader President Yoweri Museveni taking a commanding lead, a development that has been fiercely contested by the opposition.
The deadliest incident was reported in Butambala, central Uganda, where security forces allegedly stormed the home of National Unity Platform (NUP) MP Muwanga Kivumbi, who was hosting supporters as they awaited local election results.
According to Kivumbi and eyewitness accounts, soldiers and police opened fire on people who were sheltering in a garage, killing ten members of his campaign team. Witnesses claim the bodies were later removed by security forces.
Police have issued a different account, saying the violence broke out after opposition supporters armed with machetes attacked a police station and a vote-tallying centre in the area. Authorities say security officers responded in self-defence and confirmed several fatalities, although they placed the death toll lower, at at least seven.
The violence has further heightened tensions surrounding opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu). His party says his home in Kampala has been surrounded by military and police officers, effectively placing him under house arrest. The government has denied detaining him, insisting the security presence is meant to protect him and prevent disorder.
Preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission indicate that President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, is leading with approximately 75 to 76 percent of the vote, while Bobi Wine trails with about 20 to 23 percent, based on partial tallies.
Final results are expected within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
The election has taken place under a nationwide internet shutdown, a move that critics say has limited transparency and made it difficult to independently verify results and report incidents of violence. Human rights groups and international observers have raised concerns about intimidation, repression, and the heavy deployment of security forces throughout the campaign period and on polling day.
The killings in Butambala have raised alarm among rights organisations and political observers, with fears that further unrest could follow. Conflicting narratives from authorities and the opposition have deepened mistrust, leaving the country on edge as Ugandans await the final declaration of election results.
