Kenya’s President William Ruto has issued a formal congratulatory message to President-elect Yoweri Museveni after Uganda’s presidential election, in which Museveni secured another term in office.
In his statement released on Sunday, Ruto extended warm congratulations to Museveni and the people of Uganda, saying the outcome reflects the trust Ugandans have placed in their leader and in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. He also commended Ugandans and all stakeholders for what he described as a peaceful and competitive electoral process, noting that it demonstrated democratic maturity in the neighbouring country.
Ruto’s message reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Uganda, emphasizing the strong historic ties between the two nations and the importance of continued collaboration on regional priorities.
The Ugandan election, held on January 15, saw President Museveni declared the winner with over 70% of the vote, extending his more than four-decade rule. However, the process was accompanied by controversy; the opposition rejected the result and alleged irregularities, and there were reports of internet outages and security incidents during the vote count.
In addition to Ruto’s message, the African Union Commission Chairperson also congratulated Museveni and praised the conduct of the elections, highlighting the role of the continental and regional observation mission in assessing the process.
The congratulatory messages from regional leaders come amid heightened attention on Uganda’s political landscape as Museveni prepares for another term in office.
