At least seven people have been killed as Uganda’s presidential election descended into violence, according to opposition figures, amid allegations of voter suppression and heavy security deployments across the country.
Uganda’s National Unity Platform (NUP) said on Friday that its leader, opposition figure Bobi Wine, was forcibly taken from his home after an army helicopter landed at his compound. In a post on X, the party claimed Wine was taken to an unknown location.
The Ugandan government has denied the allegation. The chairperson of Uganda’s national strategic communications committee said Wine and his wife were safe at their residence and under police protection.
Clashes were reported in several areas as votes were being counted following Thursday’s election, which is expected to extend President Yoweri Museveni’s rule into a fifth decade. Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is seeking another term following nearly 40 years at the helm.
Police said the fatalities occurred in the early hours of Friday in the central town of Butambala, where security forces shot dead machete-wielding individuals described as “goons.” Authorities said the group had attacked a polling station and a nearby police post at around 3am.
Local police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe told Reuters that the group arrived “in big numbers” and that officers acted in self-defence. She said 25 people were arrested during the operation.
Supporters of Bobi Wine have disputed the police account. Opposition MP Muwanga Kivumbi said those killed were unarmed civilians who were shot inside his home. He described the incident as a “massacre” and said the death toll could be as high as 10.
Kivumbi said people had gathered inside his garage awaiting election results when security forces broke down the door and opened fire. He acknowledged that police had earlier dispersed crowds outside the property but rejected claims that the shootings occurred outdoors.
The exact number of fatalities and the circumstances surrounding the deaths have not been independently verified.
In the capital, Kampala, journalists reported a heavy military presence as vote counting continued. Security forces were seen patrolling streets, while armoured vehicles were deployed across the city. Sky News correspondent Yousra Elbagir reported witnessing “snatch squads” detaining individuals and bundling them into armoured trucks during and after voting.
Images from the city showed heavily armed personnel on patrol, scattered debris, and fires burning in some areas.
Preliminary results released by the electoral commission indicate Museveni is on course for a decisive victory, with more than 75% of the vote. Bobi Wine, a former pop star who entered politics in recent years, was reported to be trailing with about 21%.
Wine has alleged widespread electoral fraud, claiming the election took place amid voter intimidation and an internet blackout imposed during the voting period. His party said late on Thursday that the government was effectively placing him under house arrest, a claim national police said they were unaware of.
Speaking after casting his ballot, Museveni said he expected to win with around 80% of the vote “if there’s no cheating.”
Uganda’s election period has been marked by repeated allegations of voter suppression, arrests of opposition supporters, and restrictions on media and internet access. The electoral commission has yet to issue final results.
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