Uganda's Electoral Chief Faces Threats Over Election Results Declaration

Wed Jan 14 2026 18:04:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Simon Byabakama, the head of Uganda's electoral commission, has reported receiving threats regarding the declaration of election results, emphasizing that voter will over intimidation will guide his decisions.

Amid rising tensions ahead of Uganda's presidential elections, Simon Byabakama, the electoral commission's chairman, has revealed that he has faced threats aimed at influencing the outcome declaration. He has vowed to remain committed to the electoral process despite pressures and highlighted his dedication to declaring results based solely on the votes cast by the public. President Yoweri Museveni, running for a seventh term, faces opposition from several candidates including pop star turned politician Bobi Wine.

Simon Byabakama, the head of Uganda's electoral body, has reported that he has received threats warning him against declaring certain presidential candidates as winners in the ongoing election process. In a recent statement, Byabakama asserted that these threats, presumably from state officials, will not deter him from fulfilling his duties.

His remarks came in response to a viral video showing a presidential assistant claiming that the electoral commission would never announce opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, famously known as Bobi Wine, as president, irrespective of the election outcome.

Some people say if you don't declare so-and-so as president, you will see. I tell them that I am not in the business of donating votes, Byabakama emphasized firmly.

He stressed that only the will of the voters and the law would dictate the results of the election, flatly rejecting any intimidation tactics aimed at influencing the electoral process.

President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for nearly 40 years and is now seeking a seventh term, faces stiff competition from Bobi Wine, who previously came in second in the 2021 elections. A total of 21.6 million voters are registered for this election, featuring six other candidates amidst heightened political tension.

Byabakama further indicated that he would declare the results within 48 hours of polling close, adhering to the country's expectations. His statements come against the backdrop of a heavy military presence intended to maintain order but which some see as intimidating to voters.

This electoral atmosphere has raised concerns of repression, particularly after authorities cut internet access and limited mobile services across Uganda in an attempt to curb misinformation and electoral fraud.

Byabakama insists, however, that the election laws will govern how results are declared, declaring firmly, It is the voters who determine how many votes a candidate gets. Despite threats and the turbulent environment, he remains resolute in ensuring the electoral process remains intact.