Ugandan opposition candidate Bobi Wine is going to challenge the results of the presidential elections. Even before the announcement of the results, Wine accused the regime of “the greatest fraud ever in Ugandan history”.
The reggae singer Wine, especially popular with young people, calls on his supporters to refrain from violence on Sunday. “I take this painful but inevitable leadership decision to urge you to refrain from any form of violence as we challenge the outcome of the election in court,” Wine said on Twitter. He and his party speak of "widespread fraud" in the elections.
The Election Commission announced on Friday that sitting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected for a sixth mandate, with 58.6 percent of the vote. Museveni has been leading the country for 35 years.
Many young people in particular are dissatisfied with the government of the country, corruption and unemployment. Wine is committed to addressing those issues, and observers say he had a chance of winning the election fair.
The run-up to the elections was already particularly violent and Wine was arrested several times during the campaign, but eventually released each time. Dozens of his supporters have been arrested in recent weeks, and many of them are still incarcerated.
The results of the parliamentary elections, also held on Thursday, show that Wine's National Unity Platform will be the largest opposition party.
